The Gentle Heart
by AlexanderMugetsu
Summary: Waking up in a strange world, alone, freezing and confused. You cannot help but run, and hope that a guardian angel will protect you. Even if her form is of a bipedal mammal. Collab idea with Celfwrdderwydd.


It was a brilliant day in Zootopia, with all manner of citizens going about their everyday lives as per the normal this day. Many at work, doing their regular 9-5 in whatever business they chose to work for.

But it wasn't just those above ground that were hard at work, as deeper below, under the surface were mammals digging forward. A construction team was currently cutting through the earth, building a tunnel for a new subway run-through to heal the congestion that plagued this otherwise magnificent city. Lightened only by the torches in their hard-hats, and the light posts fueled by the loud generators, the sounds of machines digging through soil and rock echoed around the chamber, hand-held tools mixed in with a heavy-duty excavator clawing its way onward.

"Hey foreman, how's the family treating you?" One worker said to the other as he continued on his work, getting an indignant "Fine." in reply as said foreman didn't bother to look up from his plans, or to the mammal laughing as he continued on his work.

"So...my little daughter's birthday is coming up, and my wife's thinking of getting her that dollhouse she's been begging for, but see, now what do I get her? She's left me out in the rain now." A wolf asked as he jackhammered into the stone, speaking lightly to the stag next to him as he cleaned up the loose soil, the sounds of the machine not bothering them at all.

Despite the loud noises that would deafen the ears of the mammals that haven't worked in construction for years of their lives, all in the mammal-built cave turned in confusion when the sound of metal clawing at other metal screeched around the chamber.

The pig worker handling the construction vehicle turned out from his control seat and shouted out "I think we've hit metal, boss." Said boss, a polecat checking his plans, staunch forward in bewilderment as he looked over the map of the underground. "Impossible. There was no mention of ruins here."

"I don't know what to say, other than there's metal there." The indifferent porcine didn't bother to look back as the Mustela furrowed his brow at his uncaring subordinate before turning to his other employees. "Well? Don't just stand there, dig that metal out the way. We ain't got all day."

It took several minutes, as all the workers cut into the earth as best they could, struggling to remove the ever-growing panel of metal that never seemed to end, and the more the polecat watched, the more shocked he became. By the end of five minutes, all the mammals in the underground cavern took a step back and looked at what they were witnessing, no matter how hard they digged, the metal never ended as even when cutting through the edges of the tunnel it seemed to go on further than they could ever imagine, far bigger than it should be.

The only thing they could understand was they were most certainly in front of a very large, thick metal door, looking far older than they could ever imagine. All observed with unblinking eyes at the mysterious sight before them. It was the foreman that spoke first:

"I think we need to bring in some specialists."

The steel was so thick and hard not even a cutting torch cut through it easily, instead they had to reply on a plasma cutter to sear at the metal, this action had taken more than a few hours, but with the final blast of plasma meeting its end, the newly cut piece of alloy falls inside, the clang echoed off the also metallic walls as the group began to stride in, they too wielding flashlight-helmets as they studied their dark surroundings.

"What...the...hell..." One of the mammals swore as he looked at the unrusted steel, the floors a deep black and the walls a blueish-gray. Tentatively, he took his first steps in, glad to be wearing hazard-suits as shone his light inside. One checked his geiger counter, seeing no spike in radiation levels at all, at least meaning there wasn't a danger to the city above, but no less and danger still had yet to be known..

"So what do you think this place is?" The polecat boss asked from outside as the crew searched around the ominously quiet place. Among the group of information gathers were archaeologists, and one, a tall giraffe, spoke back from his shadowed position. "Hard to say, but it at least reaches the thousand years mark." The group aimed their handheld light sources at every corner; all seemed so ancient to them yet also so...advanced. One had summarized the technological advancement of a few hundred years past current modern innovation, yet no one could come up with an answer how something so advanced had laid dormant under this city.

They all continued on, only the sounds of their boots stomping along the metal floor gave noise to this dead building, the more they explored, the more all became fascinated by what they were seeing. One took notes to map out the layout as they walked in packs, keeping close as they surveyed their surroundings. To their surprise, some of the doors would open easily, requiring only heavy lifting to open, however, others were jammed in place, with one summerzing they needed power to open, but of course, how can a place this old have power running through it, leaving them with only a few possible paths

Despite how advanced it all looked, the place seemed so desolate from any objects left lying about, only dust littered these hallways, but this all changed as they forced open another door, not seeing the firmly written words CRYOGENIC LAB at the top, and for the first time since being here they saw artificial light from this place as lights flickered on just for the shortest of seconds before turning off just as quick, dim for only seconds, with the only other light coming from the machines inside.

In this room were rows and rows of glass tubes, many dark, but others were firmly light, showing inside the large tubes. Unfortunately, what they saw wasn't pretty, as inside them were the mummified remains of unknown creatures, only bones were left to some of them as few had trouble making out what they were: they seemed rather tall, about as high as a wolf that observed it, but their faces were very flat, no protruding muzzle, yet it still had holes for both eyes and nose. Not one believed aliens were the cause, as even with what's left, it was too mammal to be foreign. They had to wipe at the heavily frosted glass to take a better look, with the ones not frosted over having nothing but dust left.

But it was when one sheep wiped away at the frosted glass of one tube did he get the shock of his career, as on this one the lights were fully on, but unlike the others, a green light and display was next to it, with what looked to be a heart monitor flashing steadily on it, beeping silently as it listened into the creatures here.

On it was the face of an animal believed to be only myth, until now.

"Guys, I think we have something here."

* * *

From an underground tunnel, to a modern lab, as now all manor of scientists and doctors draped in lab coats were gathered around, watching with equal mix of eagerness and fascination at the living being before then, many thinking in wonder how this one survived until now. All so engrossed with their talk, none noticed the creature stirring wake:

_Where...am I? What happened, this doesn't feel like the chambers...it's not freezing, but I should still be naked, shouldn't it? I can hear...voices, but why do they sound so weird…? Am I underwater or something. It's so cold...I need to open my eyes and see-_

_Ah! Too bright! What's going on...where am I? What year is it...is it over...is it finally over?_

"Pulse signs are normal. Blood pressure seems a little high, and body temperature is below expected levels."

"His face is unusually flat. Almost ape-like in design, but they died out thousands of years ago."

"How bizarre, his body seems only lightly covered in fur, his hair's too thin to protect him from any major cold climate. And why does it develop heavily only on his head?"

_Voices! Those are real voices I hear! I'm not alone, oh thank everyone people are still around! I just need to lightly open my eyes to see them and everyone-_

_They're not human!_

As the shapes stopped blurring, the colours becoming detailed, he could finally see all around him. Animals, creatures he thought had gone extinct and whose presence he believed he would only know of from holograms and texts, now surrounded him. But they didn't seem like animals of old at all; they all wore white coats, all standing on two legs, and seemed far more expressive than a simple being, and more so, the way they communicated and talked, it was...distinctively human, but...a horse, bear, chinchilla, kangaroo, none were human.

None of the mammals noticed the unblinking eyes watching them, the cold and naked body started to tremble as his mind began racing, not a single logical thought went through the head of the confused and muddled specimen. Anything still left in his stomach was begging to be thrown out his mouth, and tremors in his hands were shaking so bad they couldn't begin to catch his vomit should he actual expel it. All senses were on hyperdrive as began to exhale deeply, loudly even, and suddenly, his body could take no more-

And he screamed.

Everymammal in the vicinity turned in utter shock as seeing the body slowly crawl away from them, the still howling specimen body trembled as they all made a space around him. As soon as one mammal came in close, in the hopes it could calm the person down, he suddenly thrashed violently, kicking his legs away in the hopes they could not come in close and do whatever these terrifying creatures could do.

"Bring in the sedatives now, he's turning violent!" Another one called out loudly in the oddly human tongue. Despite his breaking mind, he could still understand, and at hearing the word sedatives-

He took off like a bullet, pushing himself off where he laid and, through his instincts alone, began to rip his hands forward and clawed at anyone in front, getting the desired result as the mammals all made a step away, afraid of what he might do as he managed to turn on his heels and left, slamming open a door before any of the both larger and smaller mammals could catch, one making an attempt to call security as the others darted after him.

He didn't know where he was going, but he knew he had to get away, frantically pushing past any creatures that dared to cross his path, all mammals that saw became shocked at the sight they were seeing, none attempting to stop the crazed, heavily-panting thing that kicked open any door, blindly going anywhere but back as by chance he crossed the exit, slamming the door wide as he escaped to the outside world.

"Get the police on the phone! NOW!" One called as that was the last the mammals eyes saw of him before his departure.

It was raining today. The worst of the fall happened earlier today, so now all the scattered onto the rooftops of the bust city were mere drizzles, half-hearted reimagines of its former self. But it was still cold, the sky dark and cloudy and the streets still wet from the earlier downpour. It was undeniably freezing, especially at this time of the year, but he barely paid attention to the weather as he continued his mad sprint along the street.

Everywhere he looked, they were those animals, bipedal, large versions of the creatures he once thought walked the Earth as normal animals, but now they seemed to rule this land, not a single other person in sight as his mind was only in daze. Lights that cascaded of every colour burnt into his eyeballs as he forced himself to look onward, purely to react to anything that could block his way. All that noticed the crazed unknown thing stopped and stared as he ran, some that were on his warpath ran away, taking their kids with them as he forced himself to stay away just as much.

Splashes were made with every step he took, his toes becoming freezing from the rain as the noises of the water were drowned out but the sympathy of the city, cars revved by as calls from mammals crowded the air waves, horns blasting loud became an occurrence as the running man was lost in this terrifying place. It was nothing like home, neither a dreg of a settlement or a lifeless metal base that kept him safe for the very least, but a bustling community that seemed so foreign yet so familiar at the same time.

He couldn't comprehend what he was seeing, couldn't understand the world he woke up in as he barely recognize the thought that he was running on a street, angry drives yelled at him as the crazy person only went forward. He only stopped when he noticed the vehicles blocking his path glared their powerful beams onto his pained eyes, shielding his face as he turned away, only to be met with more of the lights attacking his irises. Frantically he looked around, but no matter which way he turned to he was surrounded on all four sides by those damaging lights, more blares of the horns as he could not make out any normal shapes, they all joined to make a kaleidoscope in his visions as the lights, the sounds of sirens coming closer, the feeling of the cold that permeated his scared body, all collaborated to create a shadow of lingering fear over him. He could not take it, and wrapping his palms over his poor ears he crouched down to the wet floor, not any sense to flee was now gone as his only option was to cower.

The police had already closed in, tracking the bizarre movements of the unfrozen male, and soon the cars followed him, keeping on eye in case the worst could happen. By the time he had stopped at an intersection, cornered like a rat working in a lab, they slowly moved in, out their vehicles and making their way past the civilians as they closed in. None were ever saw he's seen them or not, but they kept their distance.

"This is Officer Nick Wilde checking in with Officer Judy Hopps, we have the target surrounded. Closing in and approaching with tasers on hand. Engaging with hopes of coming in peacefully." One sharply dressed vulpine called his radio as his rabbit partner aimed her tranquilizer carefully on him, not the only one with a gun as others held nets and even shotguns filled with bean-bag rounds, the panic that had been caused had resonated throughout the entire city, social sites filled with photographs of the running male with its short span as the chief had called all units nearby to the seen, knowing full well that this will not go over smoothly, but hopeful that at least this could be taken down quickly.

He could still see, and took sight of the uniformed mammals slowly closing in on him. He could only cower, feared by what they were, his knowledge of days long past was not missing as he knew they were units of law, of a law he knew not of, and he let his eyes close to see the serene dark, the sight of nothingness a more calming sentiment than the world he was now a part of, whether he wanted it or not.

They were coming in closer, and all he could do was stay there and pray for either a quick death, or not death at all, the two complete opposite sides being a perfect answer to either degree as they became almost silenced in his ears, only the faint sound of the rain hitting the wet street became audible to his ears, and one policeman, a rhino armed with his weapon primed on him, approached him cautiously from the back, never leaving his sites as he slowly prepared handcuffs, his finger itching on the trigger just in chance of a danger. And he was within distance to grab a hold of him, all officers on the scene waited with patient breath as the rhino stepped forward and-

"Stop!" A powerful voice boomed over the sound of the sirens, over the falling rain as these noises were the only two that dared to speak out, as in walked a figure, darting quickly past the vehicles as all the officers stopped and looked towards the origin of the voice. Not just them, but the human himself, who was still cowering weakly, opened out an eye to the source of that call.

The clack of hooved-feet under shoes against the street gave way to a new mammal; with spiralling horns sandwiched a lock of hair closed in a bun, an unknown animal raced forward with quick stride, covered in a simplistic set of light-blue pants and dark green jacket, her eyes were observed by large sunglasses, the tall figure looked far different to the human. Not because she was any less mammal than the rest, but because her presence seemed to calm the unsteady human.

"Are you all too blind to see a cowering mammal when you see one? Can you all not tell a wounded creature when it's right in front of you, or do you only care when it suits you?"

"Ma'am, are you at all aware of what that animal could do? Please keep your distance so we can handle the danger." The rabbit officer interjected as she looked up at the far taller mammal, her body still primed to the human, yet the horned one did not even flinch from her position as she quietly let hair loose, the locks falling over one of her eyes as she tilted her head downward, letting them see the uncovered brown eye, and shutting both the bunny officer, and her fox partner up, gently as she gave them a passing glance as she walked into the open intersection, behind her a larger and imposing tiger followed mutely letting her do the talking as she walked forward to the human.

"I know what it is I see before me. But by what notion do I have to believe it's in any way dangerous to me? Or to anyone else here? Old tales and myths told by mothers to their young cubs about some evil monster that's now extinct? Look at him, do you all **refuse** to see he's in pain? Can none of you see how terrified he looks, or how he is far more scared of us than he is of any of you!" The lovely voice chastised all those around him, getting just a step away from the meek human without so much as a sign of fear of him.

The human watched the female-looking mammal with careful eyes, when she bent down to greet her serene face gave him no reason to fear her back, her soft eyes seemed as gentle as an angel as he looked back at with without making a sound. Behind her the tiger took off his jacket and handed it to her without even a call of communication, the kind mammal draped the greatly sized jacket over him as he gave her not a word.

"It's okay sweetie, nobody's going to hurt you." Her voice that of a whisper as he didn't budge an inch.

He was still shaking briefly, but he her let come close with giving chase as she studied his body: he was incredibly cold, his skin so pale it was almost gray, and when she saw his eye, it too was almost grayish blue. With how freezing he was, he already seemed on the verge of death already.

"Well? Don't just stand there, get some hot water for him, quick. The poor guy's freezing to death." The tiger behind made sure to keep his distance but nonetheless was still a present being on the scene as he ordered any of the mammals there for help, having law of him be damned.

Carefully, the female down below hugged his body, and to the human this warmth was the most pleasant thing he had felt since awakening. He did not resist the touch, more so feeling the warmth premeditating through his damp and cold body. "Tell me, what's happened to you?"

Through clattering teeth and frightened sensations the human barely whispered out "S-s-s-s-ee . . .ehss-ehssss..."

"Come again?"

"Cr-cr-cryo-g-g-genic . . . sh-sh-shock . . ." He just managed to let it out, despite the constant stuttering she understood exactly what he meant by shock. She held out her cloven hand for him, open palm as he stared at it. With tentative nature he slowly reached out for her, the moment he his briefly hers, she gently held his digits carefully, feeling just how cold he was, and with his other hand she helped him to his feet, grateful as he no longer had the energy to stand by himself. "Come on, I'll take you to a hospital. Don't worry, I'll make sure no one will harm you." The stranger breathed to his ear, giving a quick firm glance to the rhino officer, shutting him up before he could interject a word, and lead him away, all that watched did not so much as call back as she let him hop into the limo, sitting him down to her as she buckled the seat for him.

Within moments the traffic began to start again, the tiger driver already knew the destination in hand, and limo began heading off as the female kept him close. He didn't look up at her at all, only focused on forward, but she gave no heed to his lack of courtesy.

"Can you please tell me what your name is?"

"...Travis." Was all he spoke as he wrapped his arms around himself, the other mammal making sure to keep him warm with the oversized jacket covering his back and the top of his head. "My name...it is Travis."

The female smiled back as she hugged him to spread his heat. "Gazelle." She told him back as kept a watchful eye on him the whole ride. "And don't worry, I'll be sure to keep you safe."

* * *

By the time Gazelle had entered him in the hospital, Travis had already seemed to calm down, but his body was still cold, the human still shivered as she administered him in as quickly as she could.

It was her who did the talking, the antelope that helped him could see from the way he was acting, he was not just a bad state with his body, but also mentally just as much; as the human was withdrawn from the world around him, the only one who he was able to communicate with was Gazelle herself, and even then, only a few words. He never dared to look up to anyone, not even her, as he'd rather pay little attention to anything.

When the doctors asked about him, she explained as best she could, how cold he was to the touch, how shaken he was. She told how he stuttered out the word shock, as well, and this being more than enough for them to understand as they set to work with the medical knowledge they have.

And it was there she sat, by a seat to the human on the bed as he laid down, feet elevated, underneath a warm blanket as she gave him warm fluids to drink, keeping him in as much as a pleasant state as she could, not being a doctor, she had to trust the medical professionals as best she could.

The pain in his eyes was obvious to the mammal, and not just from the cold. Whatever happened to him must have been horrible. She would not abandon him. And so, she stayed by his side, as doctors came and went, taking tests and examining his body, all the while she held his hand to confirm he is not going through this alone.

She stayed this way for hours on end, and only when he finally was at rest, when the doctors had taken enough results that she moved away from the seat and to the outside hallway.

When she took a breather from the first step outside, she felt as if it was the first inhale she had taken in hours, the cramped up, stocky room that housed the unfortunate human felt desolate to her, like it was trying to suck the life from her and all she could do was make sure it didn't try to steal the life away to her new friend. This wasn't the first she'd been in a hospital before, and neither time was much better than the other.

"How is he, doctor? Is he getting better?" She asked the doctor waiting patiently for her outside the room, the female badger idly standing by for the only mammal the patient seemed to have for contacts. To Gazelle, it was as if the hallway had been removed of all life but her and the doctor, as she was the only other mammal that mattered to her right at this moment.

The fact that the doctor started her explanation by sighing and shaking her head weakened the antelopes hopes, fearing the results of what might cause dire dread to her.

"Well he's in critical condition right now, to start. It's a good thing you brought him here as fast as you could, if he had been out there for not even an hour, he might have not survived. With that said, we can't say for certainty what the future will be like, be rest assured, with all the power we can muster, we will try to get him better. After all, it's not always we get a human patient come through here." The badger tried to alleviate her mood with a cheeky grin, but Gazelle's concerned face told the doctor it's best not to lighten the situation like this, at least not now.

"He's suffering from dizziness, nausea, tremors and low body temperature, but all are nothing serious so far. We've also analysed his blood, and while there doesn't seem to be anything problematic, either to us and him, we have found something different odd. He appears to have some odd chemicals in his bloodstream-and before you ask, we don't believe it's lethal at all. From what we gather, they appear to most likely be acylglycerols, so they should pose little danger. Actually, concluded by the scientists that visited here an hour ago, they theorized they are Cryogenic Glycerides, used to make sure his body doesn't die from being in a frozen state."

"...What do mean by scientists? And…'frozen state'?" Her mind was going back and forth like a ping-pong ball, from being relieved to being worried for him, despite hoping for the best, she tried to steel herself for the worst possible outcome, should it occur. The cold, dreary hospital made for a horrible backdrop for her as all she wanted right now was for a positive note to go home on.

"Oh you haven't heard? Guess that means you don't know about where he came from. Well, not too long ago some scientists came by when they heard the human had been taken here, in hopes they can bring him in for some sense of 'duty', we turned them away, of course, human or not, he is our patient, and we're not going to give him up when we won't give up on him. They explained to us about him; They said he was found inside some ancient old base deep underground, where he was kept inside some device meant to keep him frozen but alive until he was thawed, of which they had done once they found him." There was a brief pause as the badger let out an audible sigh, and the action was not lost on Gazelle.

"But he was the only one alive, all the other chambers housed nothing but dead bodies, skeletons of his kind at best. I'm sorry, there was no one else." It was Gazelle's turn to sigh, as she looked away and thought over it all. Everyone he has known is dead, as it seems, and for so long not even their ancestors could meet him. He had neither a friend or family in this world, all he had now...was her, more than anything else.

"Just..." The badger put a reassuring paw on her thigh, this being as high as she could make it with far bigger mammal without having to resort to tipping-toes to reach her. "Be there for him, please. Physical recovery won't do much if the patient has no drive to go on living."

"I will." She breathed, not believing for a second there was any other option, and as the doctor turned and walked away she was left to look back at the human though the window on the door. He was unmoved, and if she listened closely, she was able to hear the audible beeps of the HRM in the almost silent room.

She left, pulling up her jacket to hide her famous features, and walked out, all the while she made sure to know she would be there for him.

And, the next day she came back, as she said she would, taking hours out of her day just to see and talk to him. He barely spoke a word, but she minded little as she came over purely to reassure he would make it through this, and that he was not alone in this, not at all.

She tried to get him to eat or drink, but he refused anything he gave her, and this did worry her. Moreso, he never once smiled, but even then, to her, it looked like it was getting better for him. While she was there, he gave no resistance to the doctors coming by to check on him, so long as she held his hand, they let them do whatever they wanted to him, she giving reassuring words to him to keep him positive. From this she genuinely thought the human was going to make it through this without cause of concern.

Then day three happened.

She rushed over as soon as she got the call. The doctors called her immediately once they tried to help him, as they spoke of the human getting tremors so bad, he could even stand when they tried to help him. But from matters that made it worse, the human refused to talk to anyone, recoiling away when any doctor came to close, as none could get him to speak, adamantly backing away from anymammal that pleaded to help him. They knew only one mammal could help now, as she rushed through traffic as fast as her tiger driver would allow it.

She barged through the hospital, quickly listening to the doctors explaining to her what was going on, and with a push she slammed open the door to the human's room, taking a soft glance to the human sitting upright on the bed.

The doctor excused herself as she let the antelope be alone with him, closing the door behind her as Gazelle marched to the human. She could see the pain on his face, his body trembling so heavily he looked to be shivering, and he barely even noticed her, his focus on nothing but the floor his hands were almost to his face, the digits twitching like crazy as she could hear how deep his breathing was.

"Travis! TRAVIS! Look at me, just listen to me, okay." She grabbed his head with her hands and brought her forehead right to his, her horns touching his head as she stared at him. "I need you to listen to my voice and respond to me. I need you to talk to me, can you do that?" She got no response, hearing only the human hyperventilating. She grasped his cheeks with her hands, gripping his head as she kneeled down and made sure his lost vision was now on her.

"Travis, can you hear me? Can. You. Hear. Me? I need you to know I have to speak to you. Whisper to me, this may be the only you can make it out of this."

"...I...hear you." She finally got a response, his voice as shaky as his body, but as response was all she was after.

"Okay, good. Now, I need you to tell me what's going on. You have to speak to me and tell what's wrong."

"It's..it's my Cryo..." She held him patiently in his hands as he continued, letting her warmth hold him carefully as focused herself purely on him. "It's Cryogenic Shock Syndrome. Because of how..long I was in stasis, and how abruptly I was taken out of it, I've gained the disorder overtime."

"Thank you, Travis. Now I need you to tell me how we fix this. What do we need to save you?" His body still trembled from the shock, but he only mumbled inaudible words to her. "Travis! Speak to me, what do we need to do to save you?"

"...Nerve treatments. DNA Therapy from my time can help but...it's all gone. I don't know if this world has any. Gazelle, I don't know what you can do to help me-please."

She nodded, not moving away as she eyed at his icing iris's. "Then tell me how to fix your body. Why can the doctors to save you? What needs to be done."

"Compress...my body." His words a tiring whimper, yet aloud from his crazed state. "Keep the blood in my organs, and my body still. Gazelle, make me get through this!" His last words a shout as she immediately hugged him, pulling him close and shedding a loose tear for him as her mouth moved to his ear.

"Travis, be strong for me. We** will** get you through this. The doctors will come in and save, I will make sure of that. Do not fight them, push yourself to have faith in them, I have faith you can make this." A little movement of his head from the panting human gave her assurance of him, and she let go, reluctantly leaving him as she turned to the doorway, spotting the eyes of a few of the medical professionals watching the two throughout the whole ordeal.

"I know you've been listening in! Don't just stand there, get him the treatment now!" She barked to the doctors, and a few almost tripped over themselves as they ran off, some going to collect the necessary equipment, other came in to watch over the human carefully as Gazelle moved out of there way, making sure she was not out of his peripheral vision until they could truly save him.

And now, from behind the door she watched him. What felt like hours had gone as the doctors did their work and helped him. With a long exhale she leaned on the door, the whole ordeal exhausted her, and all she was able to do was stare at the human on the bed. To save him, the doctors put him in a shock suit, leaving him alone for now, sans for one who regularly checked him over. He had calmed down now, no more shouts of anguish from him. No more shaking uncontrollably. Peaceful, but only because he was forced to be.

Behind her she can hear the talks of the doctors, murmuring about what to do now. The only other mammal in the vicinity not part of the conversation was the tiger that followed her around, keeping out of the debate as he kept his distance, but watched over her as her silent bodyguard.

She was, during the beginning of being put out here to let him recover, saddened by the whole predicament, afraid for him and worried over his safety, but the more she listened into the conversation of the doctors behind the more her dismal emotions turned to unbridled anger.

Their words were first of worry over his condition, but a general notion was that it was stable so far, and as of yet nothing indicated anything worth losing hope for. But it wasn't long until they talked over what's next: With him being an outsider to this world, he had nowhere else to stay and something suggested, once he's able to, he could be studied for further research. The scientists were the ones who unfroze him, some suggested it is them who should take custody once he's better. She couldn't count how many times she heard them say the word 'study' like it was a new fashion trend. This mammal was in a danger state, and now all they could talk about is treating him like a specimen under a microscope. It made her blood boil.

"That's not right, not right at all..." The only tiger said aloud, not caring who heard as he voiced his opinion, not bothering to join in the conversation as he stood with his arms crossed against the wall. Gazelle agreed with her friend, as she not wanted such a hurt creature to be used as a live testing animal. Even then, he didn't have anywhere else to go...unless…

"Then I propose he stays with me." Her proposition stunned everyone, including the tiger to her right, as they all turned to look at the antelope in sheer surprise. "If he has nowhere else to go, I have no problem letting him stay with me. Any arrangements I can handle."

A few of the medical professionals stammered at her sudden motion, while others whispered back how strange of a concept that would be. One of them decided to speak up first. "You cannot be serious? Do you have any idea of all the problems that can cause. Not to mention any danger that could-"

"Shall I list of all the reasons why he should stay at home?" Her interruption held no sense of annoyance or anger in it, only a calm state as held out her hand and picked at her fingers as she began listing:

"First of all, he would be safe. My home has the most updated security measures that exists in Zootopia, not to mention I have three more friends as big and protective as Frank behind me here." She pointed to the tiger standing patiently by her side, as he nodded with a serious expression to the doctors. "I don't keep weapons in my home either, so there is little risk of him hurting himself, nor of any change of him getting out either."

"Second of all, he will be away from prying eyes. I deal with paparazzi all the time, so I know how to handle them. He is not in a good state, so it's best I keep him from any others that would try to force themselves near him. Remember, as of now I am the only one that he will let close."

"Thirdly, he will be in a set location and under my supervision. I will keep my eyes on him at all times, he won't be out of my sight until he can fend for himself again. No matter what, wherever he goes, I'll go."

"And fourthly, if you are worried about this being problematic to the law, officials can easily visit at any time. I can make arrangements when it suits them, and I have no qualms halting over my own business for a while. Nothing important is on my schedule anytime soon. Does that satisfy everyone?"

The doctors mumbled amongst themselves, any that wanted to challenge her didn't speak up, her plan seeming to be sound to them.

"Unless you'd want to choose the alternative that you've been speaking on a minute is, of course, you'd rather he be handed over to some laboratory and tested on like some experiment?" Her glare made a few of them turn away, guilt seeping through them from the words they spoke over just moments ago, pain present as they fumbled with their collars and sleeves.

"Good? Good. Now if you have any more problems, call me at anytime. I will be back everyday to check on him, and when he is ready to be released, I will take him home with me. Unless you have anything more to say, I will take my leave." She turned on her heels and walked off, calmly striding away as Frank gave them a curt wave and trailed behind, all the personal already moving away as they knew she had one.

But one thing nobody else knew, was that Travis had heard it all. Listening in, and being stunned by what he heard.

* * *

Days went by, and sure enough, the day came when he could finally be released. It was a silent affair, Gazelle keeping him close as she led him out, making sure to give a pleasant "Thank you." to any doctors she came across as she led him out without any fuss being made. By her, the human, or the staff.

The ride back was a lessened affair, and Gazelle at no point forced him to talk about himself or anything, but she did make sure he was kept in better spirits. Thankfully, during his prolonged stay at the hospital, the tiger that seemed to be her bodyguard, of sorts, went out and collected clothes for him. Granted, they were a bit too big for him, as he could only guess the size, but a simple shirt and pants would do him now at least, until, as Gazelle said, she'd "sort it all out tomorrow".

She led him into her house, not noticing the sheer size of it all as she welcomed him in. For now, she wanted him to stay with her until he gets better, for his sake. With everything that happened, Gazelle knew of the news that will be all over the media outlets in Zootopia, and the parasite sometimes called paparazzi are going to jump on the fray for their next big scoop. She didn't like the idea of keeping him locked inside like a cage very well, all mammals should taste freedom, but for his own sake she wanted him close by at all times. She will have to refuse him leaving, for now, but she will do her best to get him settled into this new world.

His first step inside felt refreshing, the cold air replaced with the warm nostalgic tones of the inside of buildings, housing the residents from the dangerous and lethal outside world. Even at a time like now, the safe feeling of a home cooled the human's tense body. There was a warm glow that permeated the soft air of the large room. To him it was strangely human...if anything, downright human. A TV and a couch off by the corner, paintings hanging on the walls, unsurprising with the bipedal mammals instead of his own species, off by the side was the kitchen filled with more old style appliances, a real wooden table with chairs. He had read and seen old pictures of what life was like decades before his time. When humans felt happiness to be alive, and weren't constantly starving and having to scavenge for food. People lived in these houses with families and could relax after a long day.

It was almost like a trip into the past, but too a rather ironic extent, it was impossible, as this was the future.

_And how far into the future…?_

"Gazelle: what of the others?" He spoke aloud as he hugged himself, despite the warmth of the room, his back was facing the door, his expression a mystery as the antelope blinked to his question.

"The others what, Travis?"

"The other humans. What happened to them all? Where are they?" She breathed out loudly, shutting the door behind her as she made walk to his side, looking down on him, she could see his stoic facade was slowly crumbling. She couldn't imagine what it would feel to be in his position, and she hated the thought of it.

"I'm...sorry Travis, but there were no other humans. It was only you. They said you were the only body still intact. Humans...were not even thought of as a real species by many until today, so I cannot say if there are anymore still like you."

"I see." His reply came without emotion, and the way it was spoken gave fear to her. She could only comfort him so much. The most important person that could relieve him is himself, even now.

"Would you like something to eat, you must be starving after..." She cut herself short as she tried to change the subject, chastising herself for almost making it worse.

"I don't feel hungry at all." The pit of bile in his stomach that hadn't settled down, even after all these days since his awakening, he'd figure that would happen, nausea a common occurrence from his condition. The only sustenance he received was from IV drops, and the one thing he could hope for was the persistent symptoms to go away over time. "Can I just have some water, if it's not too much trouble."

"Not too much trouble at all." She replied with a smile, making her way over to the kitchen area of lounge room to fetch him a glass, idly talking away even when he stopped paying much attention, as the water was the only thing he felt he could stomach right now. He made his own way towards her, taking steps in the simple sandals he was given. He eyed his surroundings more, deeply wishing life had stayed this way in his time. Perhaps if it did...life wouldn't so…

His train of thought slowly dissipated the moment his eyes noticed the terrace doors that were hidden behind the wall when he first entered in. The sunlight from the arriving dusk cast it's orange glow on him, and from it, he could see her back garden. The moment he saw, it was the moment he felt his knees turn to jello, his mouth agape, and for the first time since being in this world, a tear slowly appeared over his eye.

Without even a word the human darted straight forward, practically running even with his pained legs and almost slammed himself against the glassed doors as he frantically rushed to open it, failing that his shaky hands began to desperately claw at the small key inserted into the hole, his wildly spasming hands could barely keep up with what he wanted to do as Gazelle watched him both curiously and worriedly.

"Travis, what are you-" Her words lost to the single-minded human as they moment he unlocked the door he pushed it open fully with all his might, his eyes focused completely on the sight in front of him as he jumped straight out, tumbling over himself and falling hands first into the garden, his knees sinking onto the floor as the tears flowed down, and he did not make an attempt to halt it.

"Travis, are you alright!" Gazelle yelled frantically herself as she ran over and joined him, glass of water still in hand, as she knelt by his side and checked him, almost gasping as she saw the tears dripping onto the grassy floor below. To the gazelle, all it is, is her garden, kept in lovely shape, with thick oak trees, pretty flowers scattering the lawn, and a sizable portion of the land used for growing vegetables, all rounded up with the backdrop of large, snowy mountains to the distance, but to the human...

"It's all so beautiful." His breaking voice whispered out as he stared only to the scene in front of him. "I never saw any of this in person before. It was all gone; the green, the trees, all of it was gone." His fingers were tickled by the grass underneath, slowly urging himself to look down, he traced his digits over the land of green. It was all real, all organic plants, that breathed clean air for him to have all to himself.

"It got better. Without us here to damage it, it got better." His face made a crooked smile, his breaths deep as he only stared at the sight before him. Gazelle hugged him deeply as she began to see more of him; she knew nothing of his original world, but she had gathered enough about him to know it was far from the world she lives in now.

Gently she helped him to his feet, letting stand up on the garden, and waved the glass to him as he took it without a thanks, letting the cool, refreshing taste of water slide down his throat as Gazelle kept him close.

"You know, I sometimes see my garden as my paradise." She monologues, as he listened to her, she too admiring the view. "No matter how hard of a day I've had, just sitting out here, relaxing under the sun I've always found is the perfect way to de-stress myself, better than any kind of meditation or yoga. All my troubles just melt away as soon as I pick up my watering can and feed my vegetables."

"And if you'd want, I don't mind sharing, it could be your paradise too, if you want it to be." He looked up at her, as if to silently ask her if she was actually serious. The warm smile he received in turn was more than answer as he nodded lightly, looking back to the view and staying shut.

She let him be like this for a few moments, as his only other actions being taking soft sips of his drink. "You doing okay?" She asked, still holding him close.

"...Tired." Was all he simply asked, not wanting to look away.

"Do you want some sleep now?" He nodded in reply.

"Do you want to sit down with me and watch the sunset together?" A tiny yes was all she got as a reply, but it was enough for her as she guided him to the table nearby. Both it and the chairs made from solid mahogany wood, though he barely paid attention to the exquisite design of the furniture, instead he felt the wood itself, grasping as the edges of the wood with deep longing. Gazelle sat nearby, watching the human stare into the world in front of him, and more so, felt relief at watching his was tense and frightened state relax under the warm setting sun.

* * *

_Travis rested his body on the bench in the park. Looking around him, he relished in how peaceful it seemed, children were playing without a care in the world while the adults watched over them with their eagle eyes. Birds were chirping, the weather pleasant and chill as it all was just a happy day in a life he had always wanted, a life he wished could still happen._

_That was, until he saw something dropping down to the bustling city he was in; what seemed to be nothing more than a big junk of metal from afar descending down to the streets._

_Within seconds after it landed, the whole city became a wasteland of devastation: The families that played just a single moment ago all screamed in agony as they became engulfed in flames, their flesh burning to ash while the whole flora around him turned into cinders as he could only watch helplessly._

_The mushroom cloud that rose from the ground, a compound of smoke and humanity's hate, sent out a blast wave that erased all in it's path, buildings crumbled as cars blew up on the spot, destroying the city in one fell swoop as Travis slowly raised his hand in the naive hope he could hold the blast and cease its ravages on this world, but it too was laid to waste like the world around, as the flesh was blown away, leaving nothing but a skeletal limb still reaching out to city now forlorn by the species that built it, the dust cloud kept on coming closer as it swept forward and encased the human in darkness-_

With a snap Travis lifted his head off the pillow to meet the real world. His body feeling damp from his own cold sweat, as he quickly looked around him. His deep pants slowly cooled down as when he realized it was all just a dream. Blinking, he slowly took his body out the sleeping bag and stood up, not willing to wake the kind mammal that was in her own room, and with tentative steps, he took quiet steps to the balcony door, opening it up and leaning his body against the rail as he stares up to the moon above. It was still the same from his time, a dark background lit up by the bright white satellite above. He shivered as he looked up to the endless sky, though no cold wind was present this night and slowly he looked down to his own body. His hand still shaking, vibrating like mad as he already understood what was wrong with him.

"I really am the last human here, aren't I?" He lamented to the moon. "This is not our world any longer."

It took him a few moments, but he finally moved away from the outside world and walked back inside, clicking the door behind him to lock as the moonlight still shined into the bedroom, highlighting the figure sleeping peacefully in her own bed.

He crept towards her, Gazelle resting her face by the side, facing the balcony as Travis stared down at her form. He didn't know what brought him to do this, but silently his finger traced over her hair, moving it out and letting the lock fall back to its original place as his fingers retracted from her. Her body registered nothing to his actions as she slept without trouble.

What is she didn't matter to him anymore, what she isn't did not either. All that did was that she was the only thing in this world he could trust. At least, he hoped he could, but with how everything had became for his time

"We deserved to go extinct, didn't we?" He whispered to no-one in particular. He didn't finish his own questions as he made his way back to his sleeping bag.

Gazelle insisted that he sleeps in her bed for now, she having no trouble sleeping on the floor, but he adamantly refused, stating he would be more comfortable in a sleeping bag, if she had one. She did, but only if he sleeps in the same room as her, as she wanted him close by.

Settling in, he let his tiredness overcome him, as even with what he dreamed, he was still tired to the bone, and let the reaches of the night take him in slumber.

He never once noticed the pair of half-lidded eyes staring at him as he crept into sleep, wishing him a better night's sleep as the owner held back her cries for him, making sure he was resting better, and praying tomorrow would give him back his smile.

* * *

He blinked and slowly he rose from his bag, massaging his shoulders as he stood up. He had no more nightmares since, and he was thankful for that as he rolled up the quilt and placed it neatly to the side, noticing his sleeping buddy was already wide awake as the bed was left and messy.

He cleaned up the mess quickly, fluffing the pillow and straightening the sides as he put the bed back into a neat position before leaving the room. He was still dressed in his slightly oversized garbs, not that he minded much, and yawned as he entered the living room, seeing Gazelle idly making breakfast beside her.

"Morning." His words carried no emotion, like yesterday, but he no longer said them laced with fear as before. The mammal turned around and smiled back to the human as she urged him to sit down on the stool.

"How are you feeling?" Her words carried softly to him, smiling cheerfully to him as at least one of them needed to be the optimist of the two. She didn't hate this, if anything, he appreciated what she is doing, in this crazy world of mammals walking upright and speaking words they shouldn't be able to, she is a beacon of light that shone a way forward.

"Not worse." His reply more cryptic then it should be, but Gazelle paid it no head.

"Now, what would you like to eat for breakfast?"

"Not hungry." Travis said as he looked out to the garden, the warm sunlight shining down and feeding the plants below. "I...I'm not in the mood to eat."

Her smile faltered, trying to look him in the eyes as he refused to look at her back. She wondered just what he has seen up to this day. But he cannot answer if he's too hungry to talk, so instead reaching around she poured out a glass of apple juice and placed it on the counter by him.

"At least have something to drink. Please, you seem thirsty, at least have this." He took it off her, not wanting to seem obnoxious to her and looked down at the glass in his hand, staring at the light amber liquid stirring in the cup. Meanwhile the female was tucking into a breakfast bar of her own, watching the human idly observing the juice in his hands. Her crunch's began to slow as she worried over the human.

Yet before she could see him take a sip, the doorbell rang out. "Oh, they're here earlier than expected." Gazelle said aloud as she walked off to the front door as Travis watched her go. He focused only on her as she opened the door, and to his surprise in came in two different mammals: A fox and a rabbit. While this alone didn't scare him, it was the fact that both were wearing identical uniforms, the kind Travis remembered must have been for the officers of the law in this world. In the back of his mind, Travis swore he'd seen these two before.

"He's just this way." Gazelle announced as the led the two new mammals to the kitchen...no...to him. They both spotted the human sitting on a stool, and the stare he had gotten from them made him wish to sink into his big shirt.

"So, this is what a human looks like up close." The fox eyed him up and down, the vulpine coming as a smooth charmer as he looked at him with his ever present smug. "And I thought they'd be a lot bigger." The rabbit beside him chided the male with unamused glare as he continued his smile.

"Oh Travis, this is officers Wilde and Hopps. They have been assigned to check on you everyday to make sure you're doing fine."

"Yes, thanks to old 'Buffalo Butt' wanting us out of his greying hair he decided we are the best choice of officers to be assigned to keep tabs on you. Mind you with the news as it is it looks as if everymammal wants to keep tabs on you."

"Nick!" His partner yelled as the fox laughed off his own antics, getting a rise at seeing the bunny becoming increasingly annoyed over his choice of words. Travis wondered just how this rabbit can put up with her partner is this was what he may be like 24/7.

"I'm just joshing with him." He playfully held up his arms defense, not at all fazed by how miffed he was making the other officer. "Come now, a little fun never hurt anybody. I'm just lightening the mood. Say what, how about putting her there pal, I'm sure we can be friends as well as assigned colleagues." He held up a paw to the human, though obvious by both officers and the antelope as a request for a handshake, the moment the paw quickly urged its was closely Travis practically lunged back in his seat, almost falling off the stool as he leaned away from the hand.

Both officers took note of this, and even the fox's smiled slowly faded as he understood the situation, slowly pulling it back and taking a step away from him as the rabbit officer spoke up for them.

"Let's start over. My name is Officer Judy Hopps, and the _hilarious _fox you see by my side is Officer Nick Wilde." The vulpine grinned at Judy's use of sarcasm. "We have been enlisted to check on you every day. This is all just a formal greeting I assure you, and we won't be here for long each day, we just want to make sure you're doing safe. You are a legendary species, even the mayor has requested we make sure everyone is safe, including you."

"Are you saying the mayor wants everyone to be safe from me?"

"Uh...yes" Both officers gave each other a look before Judy said this, both a little shocked how easy he could speak the same language as them.

"I don't blame him." He looked away and he stared back to the juice on the counter. Even Nick felt sympathetic towards him, as somewhere deep down, he can see a part of him was just like this human, or at least, an old part of him was. Judy, on the other hand, wanted nothing more than to reach out and hug him, she knew full well what he had been through in the past week. When at home, years ago, she always did her best to cheer up and her brothers and sisters when they were down, and he reminded her of them, not of a dangerous animal in the slightest, but a mammal that needed to be loved like any other.

"Travis, please listen." He looked at the pleading rabbit as the soft expression she wore made him feel guilt if he didn't look back at her. "We know about how you got here, and what you've been through. So please; trust us, we** do** want what's best for you. I get that you are scared, but do not have any reason to fear us. We want you to get better, okay?" He nodded, the way she spoke was genuine to him, and any reason to fear Judy seemed to just vanish at seeing her softened expression, at least mostly, but even still, he tentatively held out a hand for her; he **wanted **to trust her, wanted to be safe, like anymammal, and that could not be done alone, especially one like him.

She reached and and grabbed it, and he didn't recoil from the touch as she felt both of her smaller, soft hand hold him carefully. No pressure or pain, just warm fingers over his own. "If you ever have any problems, ever have an emergency or just need to speak to us, you can call us. We will talk and listen, and if need be, we will rush over and come to you. You are just as much a part of Zootopia as we are. Nothing, not species, nor kind, will change that." He nodded, and for the briefest of seconds, the rabbit swore she saw a glint of a smile on his face.

"Good to see you in better shape, but that doesn't mean you can make moves on an officer like that." The fox butted in, playfully chiding as the rabbit rolled her eyes at her partner. "I'll have you know this bunny's taken." She playfully chided him in the ribs as Travis thought over these two, and how they reminded him so much of a part of his time he went through. Two very different looking and acting people, getting along so well...he wondered if those two were…

"Is there anything more to discuss officers, or can we go on our way? I have a busy schedule with him, and I would like him to see what the outside world is like. With him always by my side, of course."

"Of course." Judy replied. "If he's doing okay, then our business is done for today. Until we meet again, Ms. Gazelle, we bid you a good day." Both turned around to leave with Nick offering some parting words of his own as Gazelle waved them off.

"Remember, call us if you have any problems, we'll come over as soon as we can. Oh, and get him some chapstick, his lips look a bit chaffed." The overly-friendly vulpine added as they headed out the door.

"Oh and officers?" Gazelle called as the two in question turned around promptly. "I don't know if it's my place to ask, but how are things regarding Travis...you know, on the other side."

"...Not great." Nick breathed out, his teasing demeanor vanished fully, perhaps to suggest even he was exhausted of all he had to deal with. "It was a complete bustle for the first week. So many call of concerned citizens, fearing..."

"Fearing that which they don't know." The rabbit interjected, almost fiercely so. "But we refused to push back. We handled it correctly, and managed to qualm the worries from as many mammals as we could. We told them little more than they needed to, except he's now in a safe place, where he won't harm anymammal. It's died down a little now, but it's still big news through and through." The vulpine smiled at his partner, not shocked the bunny knew how to handle herself when the situation arises.

"Thanks, officers, that's all I wanted to know." They nodded back to the Gazelle and walked back away, ready to leave the two alone now.

"O.M.G. Nick I cannot believe we actually got to be inside Gazelle's home! Did you see the decorations..." Travis managed to overhear them say as they shut the door behind them, Gazelle leaned on the counter by him as she lightly chuckled to herself.

"They seem nice. Though I suppose they would be, after all they've done for this city. Now come, I have a jacket for you to put on, and we have places to be." He urged him to place it over himself the large coat as she put on her sunglasses and wide-brimmed hat, taking him with her as she led him outside, all the while hugging him close to her side to keep him securely with her.

"Don't worry, I won't have you outside for too long. I know how you feel for the outside world, but never forget I'm always by your side, and I'll always make sure nothing bad happens to you." He nodded as he was led outside, and he looked all around him: To him, it seemed like a regular neighborhood, albeit with houses bigger than expected. The sight clearly reminded him of life before, from old pictures he'd seen of decades past. It looked like a peaceful world to him, now that he got a good look at it; clean cut grass with quiet roads, he envied the humans before him that got to live this picturesque life.

"Of course, there's also the four brothers that will keep you safe as well." She waved over to the front of the long lawn, where indeed he could see four very large tigers standing in front of the limo, all looking as intimidating as four burly predators could be. Subconsciously he hid a little behind Gazelle's back, not liking the stares they were giving him.

"Don't worry Travis, they won't hurt you, they're kind, _and smart_, enough not to lay a hand on your head." She kept him with her as she walked right up to them, Travis still scared of much taller and bigger mammals. "Travis, I'd like you to meet the tiger brothers Frank, Danny, Willie and Ed. Brothers, this is Travis, who I hope you will get along with. They are all my friends and companions, not to mention my bodyguards when I'm out and about." They all gave the human a friendly smile-at least, what he hoped was a friendly to him. "And from this day forth, they are also your acting bodyguards as well, so never fear for them." As one tried to make a move forward with a handshake, he recoiled a little away, making the tiger stop his act. "Uh, best not for now. He's not that big on touching others." The tiger, likely the one called Danny nodded as the other three slowly departed.

"The brothers are also my drivers, and Danny here is the one who will be taking us for a ride today. We have a few places to be today, but tell me if you ever feel unsafe or scared, I won't have any qualms of you being taken straight home if you're ever uncomfortable." He nodded simply, with Gazelle preceding to open up the door to the limo as Danny had already moved to the driver's seat. "Oh, and before we go-" She pulled the hood of the jacket over him as she looked him over. "I need you to cover yourself up when outside. I'm sorry if it's annoying, but I need you to keep a low profile with me." He understood without resistance, letting her lead him inside as they drove off.

While she made sure to keep him close and steady she did give him the freedom to look at the outside world from behind the glass windows of the limousine. She held back a chuckle as his mouth opened in awe as they were driven through the bustling city. All around him were more mammals, of any species he could think of (save for domestic dogs, maybe), big and small, predator and prey, co-existing together in this huge city.

"Looks nice, doesn't it." Gazelle added as she let the human roam with his eyes. "The sights you're looking at is the downtown area: Savanna Central. And it is really the most normal part of the city. There's also the Rainforest District, Sahara Square and Tundratown, and you may not know this but all three of those are seperate parts of the city that have their own climate control system in place." He looked back to her with flabbergasted eyes. "And yes, once you're up for it, we can see them, in due time." He turned and looked back out, his actions made her chuckle as it reminded her of a child out in the big city for the first time, of herself when she was younger, going downtown and seeing the sights. At the back of her mind, she wondered deeply of just what life he used to live for...but for a later date. Right now she had more pressing matters to attend to.

When they finally parked, Gazelle quickly made sure he was kept covered as she led him inside, quickly darting him away from anymammal else as she took him to the next room.

"Rosetta? Are you there, I've arrived just a little early?" Gazelle called out as Travis looked around him. He could see practically nothing but clothes around him, either hung up on a wall or on a mannequin...or whatever the mammal version of a mannequin is...mammalquin?

"Yes, yes I hears you. You don't have to be so loud." A new voice spoke from somewhere as Travis looked around him curiously to identify the speaker in question, the only thing he could identify from voice alone was it was a female, and that she had an accent of sorts. Don't know where, just of sorts.

He looked for just a moment, until he saw a pile of discarded clothes lying about aimlessly on the ground suddenly shift and move, a bulge forming in the middle before a small head popped out. "Sheesh, I've told the staff not to leave it all in a pile, and what do they do?" The body soon came after, and to Travis he thought she reminded of ferrets in his time. Of course, with a much higher degree of intelligence...and attitude.

"Oh so how's my old friend?" The annoyed state she was just in vanished rather immediately as she warmly greeted her tall friend, Gazelle having to kneel down as hold hands with the smaller mammal, bringing her in for a hug, of sorts. "Doing well, all things considered, save for it being a...very productive weekend." She gave two head nudges to her side, pointing subtly at the human next to her as the ferret looked at the face of the human, who looked back with an indifferent expression.

"Ah, so this must be the human in question...I say, I thought they'd have longer faces." Travis just blinked at her.

"Yes, this is Travis, the human, and I know this is short-notice, but if by chance-"

"You want me to design new clothes for him, yes?" Gazelle nodded to her.

"Great! It would be quite extravagant to be the first tailor to design the clothes of a legendary species. Quite interesting indeed, no doubt those clothes don't fit you well." The human nodded in reply. "Well, then, take that jacket off, I can't evaluate you properly if you're just standing there." He looked to Gazelle with questioning eyes, but she shot him back a warm look. "Don't worry Travis, she won't hurt you. She's a friend, and a very good tailor to boot."

"Oh, you flatter me too much deary." Rosetta flushed with embarrassment as she took out a measuring tape from her pocket. As requested, Travis took off his big jacket, feeling a little naked now without it, despite how hot it was making him. "Now then I need you to stand still for me, and shoot out your arms to your side as I give you a look over." He did as she said, a little confused but this notion, but bewilderment turned to immediate shock as the ferret shot up his legs and up his torso, getting onto his shoulder as Travis nearly stumbled over as his balance nearly left him.

"Oh dear, I'm sorry Travis! I forgot how she does things-"

"I'm fine." Gazelle looked on to see Travis slowly turn his way. Not smiling, but not scared either, seemingly no longer fazed but the ferret crawling all over his body. She was sure that would set him off, but to her pleasant awe the human did not seem uncomfortable with the practically unknown mammal pronouncing all over his body. "I can handle it."

Gazelle said nothing more as she watched Rosetta do her job, ready at any notice to come and help him, but trusting him enough to give him independence when he needed it, letting him be as the ferret crawled all over him, taking mental notes as she measured his body.

"So, tell me, Mr Travis. What kind of style do you desire?" Rosetta spoke as she measured all around him, moving so fast the human had trouble just finding where she was, by the time she had measured an area she had already zoomed enough to another part of him. "Something classical, or are you more modern? Straight lines, or, perhaps, are you the jazz kind of mammal?"

"Just...something casual and normal, please." He replied earnestly. This made her stop by his other shoulder and looked at him with melancholic eyes. "That's it, just something basic?"

"I'm used to coveralls and uniforms. Function over style." Rosette looked at her friend with a tumult expression, though the antelope only shrugged her shoulders at that.

"And done brightly, if you could. You know...happy colours." Gazelle added as the ferret rolled her eyes with a jaded look. "Ugh, how bland. You come to me for such a drivel design. Not even for something fancy?" The antelope shook her head as the ferret sighed loudly. "Well, if that's what the customer, see if I care if you look out of fashion." She carried on her work, darting around his body, though he flinched the moment her direction was at his inseam as the furred hand came a little too close for comfort.

"Woops. Well now, aren't you a big boy." The ferret purred as both Travis, and to a little extent Gazelle, blushed at her comment.

"R-Rosetta! Stop it, you're going too far." The antelope did her best not to stammer out as she chastises the ferret, Rosetta already had lunged away from the human as she rolled back up her measuring tape. "Oh Gazelle, it was only an accident. How was I to know humans don't have sheaths?" Travis just stared at the conversation with confusion as he lowered down his arms, patting down his pants and shirt to rid himself of the loose _mustela_ hair.

"But...my apologies strongly, my friend. Anyways, I have his measurements, and I can produce three shirts and matching pants pairs, done in that..._lame_ design as you wanted." She physically cringed at the mention of the desired look. "But for now, we need him to wear something more suitable. We can't have him wearing that oversized compilation of clothes, can we." She darted off once again, the ferret almost dancing around her shop as Gazelle joined Travis and stood by her side. They both could hear her mumble to herself as she looked all over incredibly large amount of clothes, before, pulling something out and literally throwing it by her feet. It was a shirt of a Pawaiian design, bright orange and littered with lines made to look like sunsets all over it. Before he could even pick it up, next was thrown on some khaki trousers onto the pile. "There, they may be...tacky, but they should fit him nice enough. In case you're wondering, he's about a size small Canine, if you want to get him some underpants and socks." Rosetta added as she made her way back to them.

Kneeling down again, Gazelle shook hands with the ferret as the two friends smiled politely to each other, Travis getting a feel the two have known each other for a long while, if he had to guess. "Thanks again, for all your help Rosetta. And again, sorry to interrupt you if you were already busy with work."

"No trouble, no trouble at all." She replied back, shaking both her hands with her own as she smiled cheerfully to the taller mammal. A sudden shift of movement got both of the mammals attention and the two looked to see Travis kneeling down as well, holding out a hand towards the ferret. Gladly, Rosetta, took his hand gracefully and shook his hand, as Travis, though showing little emotion to it, showed no anxiety towards her either as Rosetta happily accepted his gratitude, before turning away and going back to her usual work.

"Come back anytime, either of you. I'll be sure to look into any new ideas or orders you have for me. And at a discount to boot, though; only because you're friends of mine." She heartily spoke as Gazelle picked up the clothing and she left with the human in toe.

"Where to next?" Travis asked as they entered the limousine.

"Oh I think I know where to take you." She let loose as she had a destination in mind...

Travis looked to the sight of Gazelle holding a green liquid of some kind kept inside a plastic cup for him. She dangled it in front of him as he carefully grabbed the cup in both his hands.

"I know you said you weren't hungry, but you still need to eat. And from what I can guess, you may still have some nausea in you. I want you to enjoy yourself, and want you to enjoy eating, but for today I'm putting you on a high-protein smoothie only diet, just to help relieve your upset stomach. Go on, try, I'm sure it will help." He stared at the straw rising up from the middle hole in the top, and tentatively brought it up to his mouth, sucking out the smooth liquid and letting it roll over his taste buds.

The next few seconds were pure bliss to the humans mouth as the creamy, tasty liquid poured down his throat, even moaning a little as for the first time in only he-can-know-long did something delicious go inside his mouth.

"Good, right." She added as she watched him practically devour the drink, slurping up as much as he could as she watched with delight. Not simply by how much he liked it, but also, due in part by how he seemed to smile a little at drinking the smoothie.

Throughout the day, she mostly stayed him inside the limo as they drove around, Gazelle wanting the human to get a good feel for Zootopia, making sure to keep him well-fed with different smoothies as she let him be eased by the city.

It was getting late soon, by not dark enough as dusk had yet to appear, but she wanted to take him to one last place before night came:

It was a park, a rather unremarkable one at that; as it wasn't anything new or special, nor did it hold any specific memory to Gazelle, but it was peaceful nonetheless, and she got him to sit down on a bench as they stared out to the open field.

"Nice view, don't you think." Gazelle asked him as he looked out to the open sky, to the high-rising skyscrapers in the distance. The sight almost made him shiver as a bed memory formed in his mind, playing at the dream that felt all-too-real to him. The beautiful scene before him devoured into dust and ash by man's own creations of hatred.

But nothing of such came, families still laughed and played as their children had fun in the play area. A rabbit family enjoying a picnic enjoyed their picnic, no form of destruction came to ruin their lives. It was...truly peaceful, he had come to realize this world was not like his previous one. Society came back. Better.

He smiled as he warmed to the sun.

* * *

It wasn't too late for when they returned, but Travis insisted on getting to bed early, feeling tired after today. She let him be as he rested under the covers, soon joining him in soundless sleep as night took over.

However, this notion of soundless last only a few short hours before the sounds of screaming startled the antelope awake. She fumbled around as she brought her head up in shock, her tired eyesight seeing only glimpses of a figure running out of the room, and looking down, spotted the sight of the sleeping bag opened up without a certain human inside. "Travis..."

Carefully she stalked out of bed, holding the robe she always slept in warmly around her as she silently drifted out of the bedroom and towards the living room, where even from across the room, she could spot the human shivering heavily as he sat cuddling himself in the middle of the room. She crept around to his front, bending down and carefully getting his attention. He was soaked in sweat, his skin pale and his eyes darkly rimmed. She brought her mouth close and whispered softly into Travis's ears:

"What's wrong, please tell me?" He looked up at her as he replied with a small stammer.

"...Just a dream. Just a dream, nothing more" She shook her head firmly as her expression became serious.

"No, you didn't. You had a nightmare. Just like last night." He blinked at her understanding of him. "Tell me; about your nightmare. What happened, and don't cut off short, I'm not leaving you until you say everything."

"...Okay." He reluctantly said as he began to tell her what he saw, not resisting her when she carefully wrapped her warm arms around him. "It was back in my time, we were running, me and...other humans. Drone tanks came storming down the streets, crushing anything and...anyone, in their wake. Aerial drones flew down and shot to pieces any civilian that just wanted to live. We all just...kept on running through the endless street, as far away as we could, but people just kept on dying all around me. I saw a Reaver Drone, jump out of nowhere and tear a woman apart with its bladed claws, towering over all of us on its two legs. One of the men yelled at me to hack the drones as we ran, but I...I could only scream back I can't, when they were chasing me. It was here that...that man exploded in front of me, and I...I was covered in that guys brains all over my face, blood seeping down my shirt and...and I woke up, screaming, just as I was in my dream." She carefully rocked him back and forth as she listened in to his nightmare.

"It was only a nightmare. Not a real event, no one died, no one was hurt. Nothing like that is ever gonna happen now, do you know that." He nodded his shivering head, but his dread didn't falter. Holding his hand, she gently helped him to his feet, letting him come up on his own time. She say how much he was in, and was scared of knowing what horrors he had been, but at the same time, she wanted to know. She cupped his cheek, made him stare at her warm smile; and pulled away, both her arms being opened wide as she spoke of her gesture:

"Come here, sweetie." Travis wasted not a second before he reached forward and pushed into Gazelle's opening, hugging the antelope firmly, to the extent he was almost suffocating her, pushing his face into her shoulder as he cried silent tears. "Don't worry, I'm here for you."

Within a few moments after, she lead him away, back to bed, but no his own as he pulled him to her own bed, as she still hugged the human, keeping him by her side, and softly cooed to him, stroking his hair as she cuddled with him, soothing the frightened human as she silently promised him that she would not let this go on any longer.

Her warm, soft fur comforted him, but his unease was still present, and she listened to, him reassuring him as he opined to her: "Why me? Why did I, of all people survive? Why not Fiona and her children? Why not David and his family? Why? God in heaven, why me?" All she said in return was he couldn't change anything, and that he should now nothing was ever his fault. This seemed to help, as within moments, he drifted off back to sleep, and soon she joined him, snuggling with him as she held his hand, comforting him even as he slept throughout the night.

* * *

She was the first to wake up, fluttering her eyelids as she let out a yawn. She was not surprised at the sight of the human lying right next to her, more so, she welcomed the sight with a smile, albeit a sad one when she remembered the night before. Even still, she remarked how cute and peaceful he was, and how it's not right he has to relive those awful times over and over again, especially after so many years. Though she sat up, she also leaned down and gently kissed the human on his cheek, believing full well that she loves the dear human greatly, and vowed to do whatever it takes to help him, no matter how much it may hurt him or her.

He awoke sometime after, not knowing how long, but his sleeping partner had already gotten out of bed. Tiredly he rubbed at his eyes, sitting up off the bed and stretching his muscles, feeling a little clink in his body as he pulled himself away from the courting desire of the warm bed and straightened himself, doing the bed back up once again, and leaving.

Just like yesterday, she was back in the kitchen area, though this time facing him as she was eating cereal from behind the counter, her attention on her phone, idly flicking through the pages. That is, until she noticed the human also in the same room, and smiled cheerfully at him as he smiled back, Gazelle gulping down her latest bite as she welcomed him to sit. "How you doing this morning?" She asked as he plopped himself down on a stool.

"Much better." He almost beamed to her as she gladly took joy in seeing his happier mental state. "Now, would you like something to eat. Can you eat more solid foods now, or do you want my to make something in the blender for you." Travis stared down to his stomach, lightly petting and thinking over how he felt before answering honestly.

"I think I can handle some more solid foods now. Those smoothies helped a lot." She nodded and went to work preparing a bowl of cereal for him. While nothing fancy, just multi-grain hoops and artificial milk, along with apple juice for drink, he loved it all the same, eating it all up hungrily as Gazelle noted his oversized clothes.

"Oh blast, where did I put those clothes. I'll just be gone for a minute, Travis, eat without me." Gazelle quickly bounded off, barely stopping his devouring of the cereal before him. That is until he heard a double-knock on the door, stopping his munches as he looked around for the owner of the house.

A double-knock again, and this time Travis almost spat out his breakfast as he called to the gazelle, but got no reply in return, as he was left alone with the door. It opened, and in popped in a tiger, one he recognised as one of Gazelle's bodyguards peeking his head inside.

"Zelle? You in, the officers are here?" He looked around the living room, only to spot the lone human sitting by the kitchen counter. "Morning Travis, is Gazelle nearby?"

"She just gone upstairs for a moment. She'll be back down soon...Willie?"

"Ed."

"Ed. Sorry. Why, what is it?"

"The um..." The calmly expressive tiger pointed down to see two officers by his side out the front door, silently watching from where they stood. "Officers...are here. Shall we wait...or..."

"I'm sure it's not a big deal if Travis let us in. After all, it is him we're here for." Nick added as the tiger only blinked down to them. "I...I'm not sure if."

"It's fine Ed. I trust them." Ed nodded as he moved out of the way for the two to walk in, closing the door behind him as he moved off, leaving the human with the two officers calmly walking towards.

"So have you been, big fella. Not annoying the missus, I hope." The fox laughed as Judy gave him a look that suggested a certain vulpine was doing just that to the by-the-book rabbit.

"Better actually. I think...I'm getting used to this world. It's not like I can ever go back, though, even if I could...I doubt I wanted to." The fox smiled brightly to him, seeming pleased to hear the news, but the bunny by his side didn't smile along with him, as she noticed the hand shaking on the counter.

"Are you sure, Travis. You seem a little...cold." She pointed to his hand, and as he looked, he barely noticed what his appendage was actually doing. He clenched his fingers in and out a few times, feeling the tremors that came and slowly go.

"It...is normal now. I've learnt what this was long ago, and how it could happen. The shakes are permanent because of how I was woken up and treated." Judy's ears fell down by her side as she got closer to him, actually jumping up on the counter as she looked down to the human hand. "Is there anything we can do?"

He shook his head, but the small smile he adorned hadn't faded in the slightest. "I just have to live with it now. No harm there, I won't let it affect me for the future; the future is the only thing I've got left to live for, after all." The rabbit softly placed her paws on his as she gave him a reassuring smile, and with a spin of his hand he held hands with Judy, enjoying the soft feeling of her fur on his. It wasn't like Gazelle's, not as large or welcoming, for lack of a better turn, but it was as soft and welcoming to him as Gazelle's was.

The fox didn't seem to agree as he rolled his eyes at the scene.

"_Again_, with the flirting, Carrots?"

"Oh hush you." She scolded back, though to Travis it seemed just as playful as he was. Travis felt an urge to almost chuckle as the two, the antics enjoyable to him as he found himself taking a liking to the chemistry they displayed.

"Travis, I've got the new clothes from Roset- Oh officers I didn't see you come in." Gazelle made her appearance known as she spotted the two police mammals standing nearby the human.

"Don't mind us, just here to see how our favorite human is." That was Nick who tried to be funny, obviously. Judy rolled her eyes as she jumped down to the floor and stood beside her less-than-hilarious partner.

"Either way, we just wanted to see how everything was with him. We both were hoping he was getting better, and thankfully he seems to be in much friendlier terms today, as we are happy to see. Besides that, Ms...Gazelle, we were wondering if there's anything we could do for you while were here, besides helping Travis settle in."

The rabbit and antelope shared a smile as Gazelle shook her head. "For now, I'm just thankfully we have the law on our side. With everything than can happen...I want Travis to feel at peace for now." She turned her head to the human. "Our world isn't perfect, nor I do naively believe it will ever be, but I know there's a lot of good mammals who want to make this world far greater as it should be." The rabbit officer nodded her head enthusiastically. "For now, I want him settled in. In due time, I know he will get used to this modern world."

Travis nodded back, knowing she is watching, believing what she said. He already knew he wasn't allowed to escape onto the streets alone, but he also knew that wouldn't do him any good. Nowhere to go and knowing so few people. He rather stay inside, or at least, always by Gazelle's side, the mammal acting like a guardian angel of sorts, even today he still wanders why she cares so much for a stranger like him.

"Oh no, I forgot the underwear, didn't I?" Gazelle mumbled suddenly under her breath as she made a turn away. "Be back in a second you three." She called quickly as she hurried away, and while Judy looked on with a little confusion, Nick softly chuckled as she poked with his elbow at his partner.

"See, I told you Gazelle is just like any other mammal in real life." He smirked down to her.

"It's not that I don't believe you, It's just a little hard to imagine Gazelle: _Gazelle! The biggest mammal in Zootopia!_ She's everywhere, doing _everything_. Why wouldn't I believe she has a lot of time for relaxation?"

"Well...I doubt anymammal, even you, can work 24/7. Who knows what she does when she has down time. Course; I never cared to read _Vanity Fur_, so who am I to guess?"

"...Excuse me." They both turned around to look up the human who had listened into their conversation. "What do you mean? Did you two knew who Gazelle was before? Is she like...well known around her or something?"

Nick shook his head with that common smirk of his "Oh you sweet, sweet innocent child." He tutted, slightly annoying the human as he was well into his twenties. "Gazelle isn't just well-known, she isn't even simply famous: she is the** Face **of Zootopia. She is, without a doubt, the most famous professional singer in Zootopia..._And _I'm guessing you haven't learnt that yet?"

"I...hadn't realized." He scratched his head as he thought over all this. Someone this well-known spending her entire time looking after someone as lowy as him...He guessed, to her, he wasn't some lowly person. Did he really mean that much to her?

It was right now that Gazelle came back, holding the new clothes Rosetta had thrown to them a day before, with underwear, thankfully to avoid embarrassment, placed in between the two bigger sets of clothes. "Sorry about that. Did I miss anything?"

The fox only smiled, taking out his sunglasses and putting them on as he returned to his rabbit officers side. "Oh no, don't worry about us, we were just leaving anyway. Come on Carrots, let's not waste anymore of the superstar's time." He walked away, ushering the rabbit officer with as she began spluttering about wanting to talk with Gazelle, at least a little more, closing the door behind them as antelope in question handed the clothes to the human.

"Put these on. Those dreads you've got on are starting to get a bit filthy. Oh, and besides that, do you want to take a shower first? I don't think you've taken one since getting here." He understood and agreed, taking the clothes and walked off to the bathroom.

"Now don't be too long, I want you to help me with something soon." She called as she formulated the plan for today, jotting down in her head all the things she wanted him to get through by today.

Within half an hour later, she brought him outside to the back yard, wanting him to help with her gardening. She taught him about what to do, letting him water as she got on her knees and dug into the soil with her trowel, not minding the dirt as she wore only the old clothes she kept for days like this. On Travis's part, he never got to experience handling vegetables like this, being he was never a chef, and more so lacked the luxuries that only the rich could afford in his time.

They were finished within the hour, and soon Gazelle moved on and told him to wait in the lounge, after cleaning up, for her as she prepared something soon. Only a minute went by before she came back, and Travis blinked at the sight: she was no longer wearing her old torn up clothes, but now she was sporting a green sports leotard and black-coloured stretch pants on, along with bright pink sweatbands on her arms.

"Uh...just what is happening?" He asked as Gazelle went in front of the TV.

"Sorry, I haven't got anything for you to wear. I hope your clothes fit you fine for now." She stated as she turned it on, messing around as it looked like she was placing an old-style CD into the machine.

"Today, I'm going to get you to dance with me." He blinked again. "I know this came out of nowhere, but I only realized today that your body might still be a little stiff, so I thought I'd teach you some Zoomba to help your muscles."

"Dance?" He nearly laughed as he waved his arms up defensively, taking a step away as his voice almost cracked. "No no no, I do not do dance. I have not at one point ever learnt a single thing about how to dance in my life; I should only be cutting a rug when doing carpentry."

"Come on, it's a lot of fun. Hear, I'll teach you the basic steps. Just watch what I do." The enthusiastic and brightly coloured antelope tried to urge him on, but he only tried to polite rebutt her advances as he replied with a little embarrassment. "I'd much better be off doing training exercises. If I try to dance, I'm just gonna look like a complete prat."

The smile she had quickly faded, and Travis immediately felt a little guilty, especially when she suddenly became so dejected. Looking down to the floor as even her shoulders drooped. "Not even..." Without warning she looked right up at him; not only giving him big, shiny eyes that threatened to cry, but also a quivering lip. "Not even for me. I just want you to be healthy, is that so wrong of me."

The sad look she was giving him worked greatly as his own attempts of resistance crumbled at the sight of the saddened mammal "I...okay fine. I'll dance with you. Just...go easy on me, please."

"Great!" Her expression lit up in an instant as she grabbed the remote. "Don't worry, I'll put on the beginners workout for now. You'll get better at it, I'm sure, and in due time, you'll be able to do what I do: like this-" Gazelle gave him a view of her trademark hip shake, the sounds of her lower torso swinging side-to-side echoed in Travis ears as he almost chortled as seeing her do that, given her the remark of "That hurts my back just looking at it." The female laughed with vigor as she gave a slap to the side of her thigh. "We'll get there eventually. For now, just visualize you doing this."

"That's not fair, you have an easier time if it since your hips are wider, so you have a better centre of gravity for the move."

"Darn right my hips are wide!" She energetically patted her sides. "And trust me, my hips don't lie. Now just wait there for a second, while I get the video on." As she turned back to the TV, Travis took the few seconds to look at the mammals whole body. Certainly well maintained, at least for what kind of exercise she does this for. Mind him, her clothes leaves little for the imagination, and Travis happened to not realize how long he was staring at her form.

The video turned on as Gazelle quickly waltzed a little in front of him, giving him a perfect view of the machine as she asked him to "Just follow what I do. Keep in tune with the rhythm, and sweat our fat away."

He danced, ridiculously, in his words, but she never laughed or ridiculed him at all, only encouraging him he'll get better. When it was all over, Travis almost keeled over from exhaustion until Gazelle handed him a glass of water, giving him true praise that he did well for his first time. He was actually slightly jealous at seeing her barely look even sweaty, but at least her sweet demeanor and energy made him want to do more, just to at least see her cute self ac so adorable when teaching him. He didn't mind being taught more, if it was her doing the teaching. Hopefully he could wear the proper attire next time.

With was good, as they exercised for well over an hour, until Travis could take no more, and she led him to wait outside and cool down, as she prepared their dinner, only asking him if he eats veggies.

Travis was never really a cook; he ate what he was given...or what he could scavenge at times, but as it so happened to be, Gazelle was rather one herself. Not an expert, but one who regularly cooked her own supper many nights, sometimes for herself, sometimes for the tiger brothers, as she found cooking a fun pastime for her. It was actually an important note that they gardened today as it was with the vegetables that Gazelle uprooted today that made dinner for the two, making lunch as she let Travis water the rest of the plants.

"Lunch is ready!" She announced joyfully as she urged him to sit down on the table, placing the bowl right in front of him as he looked as the food presented for him, Gazelle taking a seat right in front of him as she sat down with her own salad. She then clicked open two metal cans, handing one to his side of the table as she took her own.

Travis looked with hunger at was being given to him: fresh veggies, of oak leaf and rocket lettuce leaves, raw broccoli, chicory greens, carrots and cucumbers, all with ranch dressing loving flavoured on top, and a sprinkle of vinegar to boot.

"Go on, try it. It's nice. Don't forget, _you_ helped me with the gardening, so this is also something you made." That part was true as though he never helped cook the salad, he did place all the veggies in the weave basket for her when she pulled them out. He took the fork, dived into one area, grabbing whichever piece of the veg he so happens to grab and took one large munch of the stuff in his mouth.

He almost began to cry with joy as he tasted the most delicious meal he had tasted in years. Not just of the world of today, but his own time, as the fresh real food was the tastiest meal he had been given in just so long. He eagerly gulped it down, grabbing another bite with vigor as munched through the salad like a bear on near starvation, Gazelle meanwhile smiled at the sight, tucking into her own as she waved rhetorical words of "Enjoying it, I hope? I've also got you some nice cheesecake for dessert, if you've got room", happy to see him so eager for her delicious salad.

Yet his desire for more of this heavenly food backfired quickly as the massive intake for him shoveling down the food gave way for him choking soon after, coughing as his mouth was filled to the brim with saliva-covered green. Gazelle acted promptly, handing him his can of soda as he drank it down, freeing his mouth from the clogged up veggies as he drank...and drank...and drank. He just kept drinking.

He never stopped drinking; that is, until the carbonation from the fizzy liquid overfilled his stomach, and with an almost lunge the human arced forward and belched very loudly, catching Gazelle off guard as Travis slowly breathed in deep breaths. The antelope could not hold back her giggle as she guffawed from the unexpected surprise he threw her way, and the human only blinked as he took a look at the can in his hand.

"What kind of beverage is this?" Gazelle calmed down to answer him, only a few curt chortles escaped her mouth as she told him "Cocoa-Cola. It's chocolate-flavoured soda. I see you became a big fan."

"This stuff is amazing, all this food is. Better than any MRE I've ever tasted." He went back to enjoying his meal, and while it made her glad to hear he was having a great time with her food, something did struck out from his sentence.

"MRE?"

"Meal, Ready-to-Eat." He stated matter-of-factly. "They were military rations we were given. They kept us alive, but had as much flavor as cardboard, most of the time." He was so focused on his own food, he never noticed the sad looks Gazelle was giving him, not even touching her salad now as the more she knew of him, the less she understood.

"Travis?" He stopped and looked up. "I'm sorry, but this has been eating at me for a while now, and I have to ask: What was your life before?" He slowly moved away from the salad bowl he had been hunching over as he sat up straight.

"You mean my past, what I was before I was frozen?" His words carried no emotion in them, as the female could tell this already was a touchy subject.

"Not just you, but...all the humans. What went on in your time? Why this talk about military and...what happened to them all?" The brief pause she received made her act on it first, grabbing a loose hand in hers as she held it protectively.

"If you ever want to talk, I'll always listen. And if you need to cry, I'll always have a hug for you. Don't force yourself to tell me if you don't want to." The protective way she held his hand eased his worries, the simple fact she was always this close for him, even when he never asked for it, meant far more than words could tell her.

He slowly shook his head, holding her hand back, and let out a sigh of times past, where he grew, and the hardships he has faced, before replying. "I'll tell you. I'll start when it all began, and I'll finish when I was cryogenically frozen, if you don't mind the long story." She shook vigorously, her desire to know more of him was oozing out of her body through her expressions.

"Okay, let me start at the beginning..."

From a small smile that began from curiosity, slowly unravelled and turned in anguished shocked before he even got halfway through his story. She became horrified at the picture he painted with his words, of a world, to her, lacking any hope or love.

By the time he finished, she was already bawling her eyes out in a way she hadn't cried like for years. She could barely look up at him from her own sorrows, and in doing so, never saw the dry eyes he gave her back, as those horrors were so ingrained in his memory he hadn't a tear left to shed for them.

He comforted as best he could, holding her quietly in his arms and letting her sobbing finish as she soothed her soul the same way she would do back, not letting her go as he refused to see her as somber as this ever again, a woman such as her never deserved any torment.

The only words he could make out as he holds her, her body shaking grievously, were simply just "I'm so sorry, Travis. For all you have suffered."

* * *

Whether by miracle or just mere chance, this night was a special day of celebration in Zootopia for reasons Travis barely paid attention to. Gazelle could only pray for thanks that it appeared today, as perhaps with this celebration it could alleviate Travis's troubles...and her own. With all he spoke, they needed some true respite, and to the mammal simply enjoying the festivities should heal the dark loud she feared still lingers over the human.

It was already night, and as a crowd was being formed from below, all sorts of mammals joining in to foriegn celebrations, to Travis's mind at least, Gazelle instead had them go to a higher balcony she rented just for them.

Well for them, and six others, as it was not just the tiger brothers that joined in the pair's fun, but also two very special officers…

"Looking good, Travis. Keep up that style." The fox finger-banged his way as he noticed the stylish top the human wore, with the rabbit only rolling her eyes at Nick's gavish choice of style. It was a little weird for him to see these two out of their work uniforms: With Nick, he wore a basic khaki pants, a green Pawaiian shirt with an indigo tie, while Judy a simple short-sleeved pale shirt and black leggings. He found it a little funny to see them in common casual clothes. Yet, to him it helped seeing them less as upholders of the law, but as mammals as normal as Gazelle.

As he sat down, the two came close and began to talk with him. It was all idle, harmless questions, as they in turn answered any small ones he asked back. Along with this, they told stories of their job, light-heartened adventures from drunk mammals fumbling their way back home, to an angry mouse they kept biting of the angles of larger mammals. He chortled slightly at that, and to them both it was joyful to see him becoming in better spirits by the day. He no longer wore his stoic expression like a mask, and now he seemed far more relaxed and open.

Even barely phasing when the rabbit began to say, chide with her fox partner: "Oh Nick, please, your mom isn't that embarrassing."

"Oh you can say that because yours doesn't insist on bringing out the family album every time I visit."

"Ah, but come on, you were so cute when you were young, how can I not take a look. I'm sure your mom was the same, right Tra-" The lagomorph covered her mouth instantly as she realized the mistake she just made. Gazelle had been listening in, and understood the rabbits action, as she made sure not bring up the touchy subject she'd knew it wasn't a pretty thing to bring up.

But the human didn't flinch from Judy's comment, instead sighing as she ushered to Judy it was okay, it was only an accident she brought it up. The rabbit lowered her hands, but she still was shriveled after letting the words go without thinking. He filled them in, just stating that he barely knew them growing up, as they were never there for long in his early life. As to why he didn't say, but neither forced him to.

As time passed, the festivities began and Gazelle had taken Travis to the balcony outside to watch the fireworks, as the countdown began. The human was, while feeling a little ousted from the celebrations, wanted to join in the merriment, and all mammals watched above as the fireworks began over the big city.

The bangs and pops could be heard by all as they exploded into the night sky, a crowd of cheers down below threatened to drown out the noise as their attention paid solely up above.

They all awed at the fireworks going off, even Travis, the sights of seeing colours exploding into the sky was a rare phenomenon in his time; as here, the sounds of the booms were met with joy and glee, not screams and despair. The lights and sounds greatly reminded of his own, of explosions all around him...lights hitting every surface as they came...no chance of feeling hope…

The sweat slowly poured down his cheek as memories began to surface, and Travis couldn't hold back his groan as he felt a headache suddenly appear in his brain, holding his head to ease his mind.

"Travis...are you alright?" Gazelle's vocals called into him as he barely paid attention to the world around him, feeling nothing but pain in his head as he carefully took steps back, the world around him fuzzy, blurred now as he could make little out, only possibly guessing the shapes all now focused on him as his legs began to wobble. They talked aloud, but only spoke garbled noises as they called him, asking him question he couldn't answer as his head began to grow heavy, his body going numb.

Then he fell, backwards, his eyes looked up to the ceiling as the world swiveled wirth him, the shapes moved to him, but he never could make a move back as he slumped down on his back, he didn't even notice the pain that hit his back as the real world fell more and more away from him, his vision growing dark, the shapes quickly floating upwards, and soon the endless void enveloped him; leaving nothing but the black, empty space…

_The sound of crunches as shoes and boots hit rubble and sand as the humans carefully trudged through the ruined city dome on this dusty, hot night, the space dark, save for the small lights that seeped through the cracks, and the few humans scurried through as all could feel the looming presence of enemy soldiers, both man and machine, searching for any survivors desiring only a reason to live._

_They came to a stop, out in the open as they left the safety of the tunnel, as a large set of metal doors, back behind the dusted yet working mechanics. Travis walked towards, and from his equipment he pulled out his hack-pack and began to plug it in._

_"They've spotted us!" One of the armed men called as those holding rifles began to take cover behind the rubble. Barely a moment later did the sound of gunfire ensure as charges of energy were exchanged by the two sides, the invisible ripples of the air will cause horrific burns to a victim in on a near miss as Travis kept his head, and continued to hack the doors._

_Yet all he could do was wait, and watch, as one man was reduced to nothing but red stain by an energy blast, his existence wiped out in an instant. They screamed as they were quickly outnumbered and outgunned, the female of this group was picked up and torn apart by a combat drone._

_The door opened, and the survivors fled, now reduced by two, with Travis leading the way, as the gunfire came ever closer. An automated tank was closing in on them, the sounds of it rumbling through the streets were like the footsteps of the grim reaper himself, priming his scythe for the people. It fired, missing Travis but hitting the rest of the humans behind as they were immediately reduced to ashes, blown to pieces as the resulting explosions caused the building to crash down, and Travis being pinned by the falling rubble, trapped with no chance to get out himself._

_He was forced on his back, his vision only faced upwards as the sky was blocked out by a flying drone hovering over him, having found the fleeing survivor, and shoned its lights on its target, as the light became the only thing he could see now._

_Voices called by heard, drowned out but slowly becoming audible as Travis wait for death was delayed for longer than he believed he would have. More voices called, and light suddenly became bright in his vision, then dimmed..._

Travis looked up to see a flashlight being held by a doctor, the female badger, looking into his eyes as he lay still on the bed. From his peripheral he could spot Gazelle nearby, with a concerned look adorning her face.

The doctor moved away, and letting Travis sit up as Gazelle rushed to his side, embracing him warmly as Travis only blinked awake. "What...had happened?"

"You blacked out." That was Nick's voice, and he looked to see both him and Judy standing aside him, both as concerned as the Gazelle. "You fell unconscious and we brought you here. Good thing we came by car, Judy can be very speedy when the time calls for it." The rabbit nodded firmly as Travis looked around him to see the antelope wrapping her arms fully around him.

"You scared us all dearly, Travis. I thought something terrible had happened, that you got hurt, or fell into a coma, or-" She sniffed loudly as the human could see up close the streaks of damp fur running down her cheeks. He felt guilty at her look, feeling failed his own promise in less than a day, and offered a small hug of comfort of his own.

"Thankfully..." The badger interjected. "There appears to be no lasting injury, nor any trauma to his body...at least, nothing physical, I suspect." She was already told what happened, and came to her own conclusions. "He should be fine to leave now." Gazelle nodded turning his way, and getting him stand; while a little wobbly, he was able to stand straight up with Gazelle's help.

"I'll be able to take him home, Judy and Nick. Thanks again for the help."

"Anytime, Gazelle. Call us if you ever need anything more. On the beat or not, we'll make sure Travis gets the help he needs." She thanked them as they left, Travis waved them goodbye as Judy waved back, Nick adding his own nod as they walked out.

"Sorry...Gazelle..." The male let out as he held her. He looked away, feeling the rise of blame be put on him. "I didn't mean to make you worry, and ruin your night-" He felt a tap under his chin, and with just a finger she moved his face up to look at her.

"Don't say such nonsense, now sweetie. It was not your fault, and you should know that. Besides, who cares about some dumb party anyway, I'd rather have you being in much better spirits than knocked out."

"I just want you to be happy as well. You deserve that and so much more."

He smiled at was, but it was quickly replaced by her concerned look again. "I do need to ask what happened back there. Why'd you fall over like that?"

"I.." He stammered, careful with his words. "The fireworks gave me visions of my past and-" A finger on his lips shut him up.

"Say no more. I understand completely. Come, let's take you back home." She led him out, back to the awaiting limo as the tiger made a beeline back home, the drive back quiet, and the two settling back into the home life.

It was late, but neither felt sleepy enough to go to bed just yet, and so after a quick change into some nightly attire, pajamas for Travis, gotten for him once one of the brothers had heard Gazelle make sure he sleeps in the same room as she. A little big for him, but he thanked the tiger nonetheless as Gazelle changed into her night robe, and with that the two settled into the couch of the lounge, idly watching the Television, Gazelle keeping him close by having him cuddled up right next to her on the sofa, both with mugs of tea in their hands, and a soft, warm wool blanket draped over the two as they watched some nondescript movie, one where the mood changed to become serious, pistols were drawn from their holsters and-

She quickly changed the channel over, now landing on some old, cheesy sitcom with obvious canned laughter, the female leaving it there knowing it won't become dark or violent, and snuggled back next to him, taking a sip from her earl grey as she watched the show.

"Judy and Nick talked to me earlier." Travis sudden started with warning, Gazelle looking down as he still ildy stared over at the entertainment machine. "They told me you're famous in Zootopia. A professional singer at that." His statement ended there, no pause at all as for the next few moments they two feel in frozen silence. She waited, but he never said much more.

"That is completely correct. Are you asking me why I never told you that, or do you feel betrayed that I actively didn't trust you enough to tell you this?" Her shoulders sagged as she spoke with a sigh, in a sense, she felt she should have been prepared for this. It was never as if she intentionally kept it a secret, more so, she hadn't yet found a reason to tell him properly, as the subject hadn't found a reason to pop up in casual conversation.

"Neither." That word took her back a little. "Just surprised, that's all. If anything, I wondered why someone as special as you would waste their time with a human like me." She draped an arm around him, pulling him close to her side in a hug of sorts as she gave him a small smile when he looked up at her.

"Famous or not, there's no excuse to see a wounded mammal like you as you where and leave you be. Just because somemammal feel important because of wealth of fame doesn't mean I ever want to." He didn't nod, but he understood what she said all the same.

"At least you have a reason to feel important. My life was merely insignificant to others. I never was seen as important, just to be used as a glorified tech rat and research subject, at times."

"Travis, you're life is not insignificant." She spoke sternly to him. "Never think you are, especially to me. No one's life is insignificant; they all deserve to live a happy life. Besides, you're not the only one that has been used.

I've been objectified as well. It's not unusual to see me being seen as just a model, or even a sex symbol. I do not like seeing that, my body being glorified over my singing. I don't mind being a model for fashion, but I don't like the way some see me as nothing but a dumb mind with a hot body, believing that's all I'm worth."

"You are not dumb at all. Those kinds of people are just foolish to think of it." Gazelle snickered in her throat, her mind being eased by his compliment. But she still wished others thought more like him, if most did, perhaps Zootopia would be a light nicer than just its surface level. She took another sip from her tea, letting the warm liquid travel down her throat as the thought over his words, along with the relationship between the human and her had. With the conversation going the way it had, she realized as much as she knew about him, he seems to know so little about her.

"Thank you, for telling about the life you had before, Travis. It means a lot to me to know you'd open up about such horrors in you life." He tried to pass if off, but she curtly stopped him. "But from your sudden statement I realized you know so little about me, and my own life growing up. Would it help you to know that when I was young, I grew up poor conditions much the same as you?" His eyes widened a little, surprised the life she had came from such crappy beginnings. She noticed this easily as she continued on.

"Granted they weren't as high tech as yours, but the area I was born in my home country was not much better. I grew up in hungry conditions, with only my brother by my side as we survived together in the harsh conditions. It was so bad at first, with my older brother looking after me, but when I got older, he started getting involved with gangs, and the brave, noble brother I once looked up too soon turned to the wrong side. He even urged me to join her, and I knew it was to take advantage of my looks, for reasons I knew I didn't want to discuss. But I resisted, and I walked away as far from that as I could...and as far from him as well." The next few seconds were a pregnant pause as Gazelle reflected deeply on this.

"I haven't seen my brother in years, honestly, and I do not want to either, as after-" She coughed, her throat drying a little as she recalled her memories. "The final straw came when his run ins with the gangs caused an accident on the road, and the car he was driving hit a child. When I saw that innocent child in hospital, fighting for his life, I...I decided then and there I cannot be near him ever again." She stared mindlessly to the cup of tea she still held in her paws, the heat slowly disappearing with time, as she slushed the liquid around the mug.

"I don't know what my brother is up to today, or even if he's alive or not. The last thing I saw him do broke my heart. I walked away from all that, and created my own path in life. I went and made a living by myself, becoming a waitress and bussed tables, and singing becoming the only thing that could keep up my spirits, as it soothed me. Way back then was when some customer heard me sing and...that's a story for a different time. I've learnt to move on from it all"

Travis looked up and down the gazelle, understanding the pain she went through. Lightly tapping her shoulder, she got her to look at him as he sadly spoke these words of wisdom:

"We cannot choose our family, but we CAN choose our friends."

She nodded, letting a small smile grow as she wiped away any tears that nearly shed. It did really mean a lot to her, sharing her past with someone else, and she firmly guessed this was what Travis must have felt when he spoke of what he had been through: to be able to talk of the anguish you've suffered along with someone you can trust dearly.

"Yeah. Yeah you're right about that. Everymammal is able to choose who it is they like, and who they take in life as friends. I mean, take the tigers brothers for example." She leaned a little away from him as she reached over to the counter table by the couch, and picked up a picture standing proud on the wooden furniture. "You know I'm a singer, but did you know those tigers are my backup dancers?" Travis most certainly did not know of this strange news, looking at her with surprise as she turned the picture around to face him.

He looked at the frame, and saw the picture of Gazelle in all her glory, but not just her alone, as surrounding her was all four of the tiger brothers, hugging and smiling with wet eyes as they crowded around a more elderly looking tiger, this one more femine looking, and also sat down on some basic-looking wheelchair.

"When I first started getting popular, I happened to come across the identical tiger brothers out in the street. They were trying to find work to support their ill mother, but because they were predators, they were getting little luck, and there only option was to be outside and earn money the best way they could; by breakdancing on the street corner. I was so impressed with how their skill, with how fluid they moved, I offered to hire them right then and there. They actually all broke down in tears when I told them, as because of what I did, their mom got the healthcare she needed, and a nice place to live now."

"That was an incredibly generous thing to do. Though, I can't say I am all that surprised it was done by you." Gazelle chortled at his response, putting the frame back down and cuddled right back up to the human's side, as they relaxed simply by being near each other. She had asked him if he wanted to go to sleep, but he relented, stating he'd rather watch just one more episode, so long as they stayed in the position they were.

Neither made it back to bed as the two slept throughout the night cuddled right up against one another, both so calm they didn't notice their eyes drooping, perhaps from the time of the night it was, the warmth they felt, or from how dull the late-night scheduled sitcom was, but they fell asleep happily next to one another.

* * *

Though he had many regrets in his life, Gazelle was there for him as she learnt of every one. Through her, she got him help, as she lets him know he's not alone. She got him to seek help, to talk with a professional about his fears and nightmares, and the problems he felt he created.

But within time, he managed to calm down, both mentally and emotionally, and soon he began to brighten up to the world. From this, he got out more, with Gazelle, of course, and she took him around the other districts of the city; from the freezing tundra, actually seeing snow for the first time in his life, to tiptoeing through the puddles of the rainforest. Course he went through the Savanna, but he cared little to this place, as he'd seen enough dry, sandy terrain through his previous life.

Before he knew it, a month had already passed since his awakening, and life with Gazelle, and in Zootopia as a whole, had essentially become his real world now.

Yet, his human life before was not forgotten now at all, as the origins of his cryo-stasis was still a major subject of debate, speculation and research, from the information gatherers and scientists alike, and Travis, somewhere deep down, knew he wouldn't gloss over the base as a relic of the past he thought he had been removed from. He was still needed, and Travis knew he was needed, so when they came to ask for help, he obliged without question, so long as they respect his own wishes.

And it was today the scientists stood, back in the underground tunnel that had, for all intensive purposes, remained unchanged since the incredible findings of this ancient base. There were only whispers and murmurs between them, short exchanges of words and sentences as they awaited the return of the unique animal. Each mammal here, of numerous species, predator and prey, was wearing a hard helmet with a torch centered inside it, protected by national standards with their gear as they began to hear footsteps approach, the sounds of boots hitting clump of earth that echoing off the solid walls .

They turned and looked to the way out of the tunnel; as coming down the dirty path were five mammals, each carrying a flashlight helmet of their own, as all mammals that awaited them prepared themselves for the journey inside. Travis came down, flanked on his sides not just by the rabbit and fox officers, as them being Travis escorts was the departments best choice, but also by Gazelle, wearing properly fitting uniforms for this mission, though she made little care to keep her identity a secret down here, and with Willie, befitting his bodyguard status.

None of the other mammals cheered or forced themselves closer to him, keeping their job professional, although some still gawked, they all were reserved now that the existence of humans was out for a month now.

"Ready." A lioness scientist asked calmly within the almost quiet tunnel, as the human nodded carefully, and began his march inside, the others en route as Travis let in a breath once he entered through the large cut of the door. He quickly wondered how long it must have took them to open the door this way, but said nothing as he looked all around him:

It was exactly as he figured it would be, dark and empty, silent, but for a good part of his life, his home, and even as it was now, it brought back the memories, both good and bad, that he held from living in this place.

While the rest of the mammals were amazed by futuristic it is to them, to Gazelle, she noted how dead this place looks and feels. From the clinical, sterilized and cold air that wafted through the room, to the clean metal, and to the rubber black floors. There was no life, no colour...no hope. She feared for the emotions of any child forced to grow up down here.

"I know exactly what to do. Follow me." He issued to the mammals in a stoic tone, almost commanding as he took charge of them all, almost naturally so, and led them away. "Besides the main door, were any other doors forcibly opened in such a way when you guys came down?"

"No." One scientist replied back. "Some of the doors can be pushed manually, but many were still locked tight. Due to fears of what could lie behind them, this whole place was sealed off for normal civilians, and only other researchers came down, leaving be any unlockable doors and only looking through the rooms they could pry without cutting."

"Good." Travis remarked calmly in response. "That means the automatic gatekeeping functioned properly, allowing for possible access in case of power failure.

"What does that mean Travis?" Judy asked, as many of the other mammals inside were curious about possible everything about this place, and to what the history of human civilization as a whole exactly **was**.

"The power cells wouldn't last forever, even as far as the advancement in technology we made. They will eventually become empty, but there was a safety measure that was implemented to make sure certain doors will be unlocked automatically so they can still be opened by hand. This was in the possible events of either other humans came through the main doors, and they could unlock us out the cryogenic stasis, or the base would unfreeze itself, and would allow us to make it to the main terminal room ourselves."

"To where?" One scientist asked, and as if on cue Travis had already made his way through another opened door as they soon followed, leading to a large room, down short stairs as those that had yet to learn about this place took note of the surroundings. Those that did happen to look around this room before theorized this was some form of strategy room, or a central hub.

"Here." He announced as he made a beeline to the table centered in the middle of this place. The table had a number of buttons and switches on one side, but due to the lack of power they seemed practically worthless as this whole base was covered in darkness and dust. Travis stood in front of the array of non-function button on the large panel.

They all stood in silence as they watched the human wipe away at it with his sleeve. "Anyone have a tissue or something?" He asked aloud as Gazelle reached into her purse and pulled out a small handkerchief she carried with her. He thanked her politely as he wiped at a screen of sorts, or at least, it seemed to be, despite it's long and thin size.

"I know how to get the power back on." This gave a few whispers behind him as he announced this, the human making his way to the side of the panel where glass box remained far off to the side. He clicked at some hinges and pulled the box up, all mammals watched with curious eyes as Travis looked down to the one thing kept inside the dusty box; a single pull-back lever handled by labouring hands.

"Wait- I'm confused here." One scientist spoke out, interpreting the moment with a question of his own. "How could this place still have power? I thought you said the power cells were completely drained?"

"The main power cells, yes, they would have been emptied by now. But there was still an emergency power source that was separate from this, meant to activate when the main power source died down, but only for the Cryogenic pods, as they were the most important part of this whole place. There is a back-up generator that can only be turned on from here, in the real likelihood that the main Crystalis cells had gone dry. Now; we see if it can still work." Travis grabbed at the switch with both hands, readying his fingers as with a long inhale he slowly pulled back the switch.

They could hear it; cranks and jolts that rebounded off the metal walls as Travis laboured at the device, the human not even blinking as he felt the resistance burn at him, but he endured the strain the heavy as he continued at the lever. Gazelle wanted to take a step forward and help him, so did Willie to, and the officers, but they all kept their distance as they let Travis do his thing by himself, trusting him enough to come to them should he need help.

And with a final clunk the switch fell down, and almost immediately they could feel the floor almost vibrate as power began to surge in and out the base, the place laden in darkness still but it was as if life began to restart in this ancient building. Travis moved back to the middle of the console, and with just a press of one button a huge screen light up before them. Not on the table, but floating in mid air, as they all knew what this was: a hologram appearing as a screen. All their gasped in shock at seeing the screen, save for Travis as he read the message that appeared on the screen.

It was an error message, displaying** Satellite up-link is down** in big bold letters, though he paid little attention as typed into the console the thirty-digit code. Tapping it as the screen changed to from a deep crimson and yellow color to an ethereal light-blue, and Travis slowly worked his way through the messages, two he quickly thought over was **Unknown lifeforms detected**, casually dismissing this message, and the map of the base showing itself, some areas lit up in red displaying major faults, one of which stating a failure in the Cryogenic wing.

It took him only a few taps on the console and suddenly the lights of the whole room turned on, power surging through all the areas as Travis turned the base back on.

"Yay." The scientist cheered and hooted, some loudly, others clapping their hands as they turned off their lights and looked all around the now properly lit up room. While they seemed cheerful of being able to walk around this base without the need for clunky headlamps, Gazelle hadn't changed her position on this place, as it still felt so lifeless to her, so basic and lacking fun or love. She was only glad Travis never lived here for his whole life.

"Hold on. I still need to do some checks on the base. A lot of time has passed, so certains function are still down, and a full diagnostic check is needed for every sector. This will only take a few moments, in the meantime I will unlock every door. On the side of each their is a green panel just press it and it will open. I can change it so security clearance isn't required."

More cheers were rung as Travis continued typing at the console, doing what he said he would do as the researches behind him began to talk happily amongst themselves, they all thankful to the human for what he was doing. Both Nick and Judy agreed with the scientists, elated to see him being in control so well. From a shrinking violet, to a mature leader, they were glad to have such a friend on their side.

"How long, Travis?" That sudden question popped up by none of than the superstar herself. "How long has it been since you went into cryostasis? How far...has time taken you?" The human looked at her, but said nothing as he turned back to the computer, typing away from a few seconds until he brought up what he was looking for.

"The power only lasted for a hundred thousand years. After that, it no longer could date any more time. So, I cannot say for sure how long I've been frozen like a piece of meat, but it must have been more than that." He never looked her way at all, and Gazelle could sense something down about him, the way he was acting was too distant to the Travis she had known just an hour ago.

The human startled a little when he suddenly felt a furry hand run over his own. The antelope had silently walked over to him from the brief seconds after he had finished his reply, cautiously approaching him and looked deeply into his eyes. "As long as it has been, don't forget that we are here for you now. So never think you are truly alone." She whispered slowly as she never let him go until she finished. He stared at her for just a second, then made a slow nod to her as he looked back at the screen. "I know." He whispered back gently, letting himself breathe out as Gazelle smiled to him.

"Okay." He addressed to all the mammals in the room. "All doors have been opened, so armoury, flight hangar, crew quarters, all are unlocked. The question that needs to be asked now is: Now what?" He let there be a beat of silence in the room. "What is it do you want to do now? What is it you hope to find?"

A few murmurs were made between the mammals before a reply came to him: "Well...anything really. Anything at all we can learn from humans. It's why we are here; to learn about human history. To know about how humans existed and, and what their technology as was like."

"...I see" Travis said after a brief pause. He tapped at the keyboard for a few seconds, with right after a chorus of **tings **echoed from all around the large room. "I've turned on all the computers in this room. If you want to look up human history, it is stored on every one. You can search them all themselves on them if you so desire." The next few seconds were practically a war zone as the mammals all a mad dash to the nearest open computer terminal they could find, almost pushing past each other as they looked through the human research, of its history, frantically wiping at the screen and keyboards to remove the dust, some even blowing hard, so they could read what they all could find.

Within only a moment or two, loud gasps of amazement rung from anywhere as they all found the most interesting notes they could see. They learnt about human civilization prior, how they lived in large futuristic cities, of the advancement they made in renewable energy, in medicine research, and in standards of life...but also, they learnt about their downfall.

There videos, of other humans, but also of the Earth in times prior, of it heating up from Global Warming, with Travis remarking how they almost killed the Earth because of it. And when they found texts about anti-matter bombs-

"I'm going to have to wipe the records of human weapons." He announced aloud, adding a "They already almost wiped out the planet. Do you really want those floating around again?" before they could make a remark. None actively disagreed with him, all could see the deadly technology humans had also created, and how devastating they were.

"Even still..." The lioness scientist interjected. "Is it at all possible to reverse engineer the human technology that you have on here? Some of the notes here go far beyond our modern knowledge. If we can utilize them, we might be able to revolutionize the world. So many lives could be saved, so many lives could be improved with all this."

"I see no problem there." He replied, but not a few seconds later did he shout with a booming voice, and all their looked with shock as the soft-speaking human issued a decree. "But know this: if you intend to use the new technology you have to introduce it gradually, and be very careful about it. A lot of the technology, especially regarding the fusion reactors and crystalis cells, is very dangerous, and if misused or employed carelessly, the effects will be devastating. Remember; it is the mishandling of the advanced technology that brought about our careless destruction of our world. Do not repeat the mistakes of humanity." They nodded in agreement, some now wearing forlorn expressions as they saw just how truly horrible some humans had been in the past, thankful that Travis was as far cut from them as he was.

Nick and Judy had stayed silent through it all, listening in as they had some thoughts of them all. It was Judy who was the first to speak her mind. "Hey Travis...what was you job when you were here? It wasn't anything...dangerous, was it?"

"Technical Engineer." He replied plainly. "So, I was in charge of keeping the weapons and equipment intact..."

"Technical engineer? Pfft, that's not a fighter jobs." Nick grinned. "Yours was to make sure everymammal here could live safely. That's a pretty respectable job, and besides it makes you not a threat to anyone."

"Yeah...you think so?" He stopped wearing as big as a frown now, something Nick pinned to happen.

"On the close subject of this, what were the police like in your time? Were they similar to us-you know save from them not having as bushy as a tail as mine...or as adorable as Carrots." He didn't even look to know his partner was glaring at him, though despite the angered looks she gave she too was interested in knowing about the humans law enforcement.

"To a basic extent, though, unlike in this time almost all our police officers were cyborgs to varying degrees, most having a replaced arm to help with apprehending others, some with optical replacements and such."

"Well...I'd prefer to keep my bushy tail, honestly, but having an ice cream dispenser in your chest would be useful when doing duty in Sahara Square." The fox quipped, and Travis, and even the bunny that was angry with him seconds ago, snickered at his mindless joke.

"Yeah, I suppose that _might _have its use." The human laughed, as he thought over the idea of a frozen treat dispenser in a chest cavity. That is, for a few seconds, as the underlying thought of robotics gave his mind rise to something else. _Is it possible it's still there?_

He turned back to the computer, inputting something in to the screen as it changed to a map. "I've uploaded a map of the base. Feel free to look around to your own discretion while I check on something else." He announced before leaving without waiting for a reply. The scientists just shrugged at him as they looked for longer on the computers, but the only antelope in the room watched him carefully.

With a click on the panel Travis opened the door, the automatic machine sliding to his right with a sound as he made a second to look inside the room: It was a small room, with only a single lamp up at the ceiling for a light as on either side were single beds, or what was left of them, after time took its ravages on it. The only other miscellaneous object there two large boxes underneath the beds. Travis kneeled down to one side as he pulled it from underneath the dusty bedding.

"Travis?" Came the call from Gazelle, not that was surprised at seeing her come all the way to the crews quarters, as it wasn't lost on him she had been following him. "Don't worry, I'm fine." He answered before he gave her the chance to say it. "I just came down here to look at my old stuff. That's all." He invited her in with a wave, not wanting to hide anything she wanted to know of him. "Come, I'll show you some of it." He said, opening up the box.

"I'm guessing this was were you slept?" He nodded at her question, as she looked around this place, remarking the lack of detail on anything. She expected there to be something in the living quarters, old pictures on the walls, little nick-nacks they kept as souvenirs, or anything of that matter. Nothing, just two beds, and two boxes, lacking any kind of imagination as possible.

"I...noticed that there are two beds." She tried to come up with something to say, the lack of any distinguishable features left her at a dead end, nearly. "Did you live here with any human else?"

"I was bunked up with Cassandra. That's how we met, actually." She had heard that name before, more specifically, when he spoke of his past, he brought up that name right after he said the word 'girlfriend'. As strange as it was to say, she felt a little pang of jealousy at hearing of his old human girlfriend. Stupid, she knows, especially with him being the last human alive, but...she was the human Travis was together with...

"Good! The battery still works." Travis announced loud enough for her to click herself back into reality, not realizing the Gazelle was lost in thought for a second there. "Might still get this to work yet." The human pulled what he was looking at out the box and began to place it on himself. To the non-human, it looked sort of like a steady-cam arm, albeit of a much more futuristic design, with a chest plate and lengths of metal wrapping over his right arm and wrist, and a large magnifying glass by his neck, and adding onto this thought when he switched it on, buttons coming to life and the battery verbing from the front as Travis looked over his old machine.

"Now this, Gazelle, is my old R.I.G.; or Repair Integration Gear. It's a special armature I used when I needed to undergo delicate work." He waved the mechanical arm around with his own, slow, but with ease as it made smooth movements. "It senses my nerves, making tiny movements and stops any shaking in our hands. It's needed when working with very fine mechanics." He let her look at it with amazement for a few moments before switching it back off, though still keeping it on his person as he walked out.

She looked back to the box left open on the floor, and a little sting hit her heart when she noticed there was little else inside, besides an old uniform, and what looked to be old tools and such. No pictures or albums of any kind, no memento of his past. It hurt her to think how little sunshine the human had in his life.

Yet before she could think more of his past, around the corner bounded the two mismatched officers, both holding a helmet of some kind in their hands.

"What are these, Travis? Some kind of future crash helmet?" The fox asked as he inspected the helmets with as much curiosity as her bubbly bunny partner.

"Oh, those are just some visors we had for elites. Hold on, let me just take a look here and-" He kneeled down and clicked on both helmet as the nanoglass display lit up, words and numbers appearing on screen as it reminded Judy of the Heads-Up Display in fighter jets. "They come equipped with infrared and electron-scanning modes, magnification, radio, and compass. They're very useful, though I've never used them much myself."

"Wow." The amazed bunny spoke aloud as she tried to put the headset only, and failing, with her smaller demeanor she had to hold it on her head with both hands, almost letting it fall when she let go, and if it wasn't for her fellow officer catching it in time it might have dropped right down to the floor.

"These are incredible Travis. Hey, is it possible to use these for work? It would be incredibly helpful, to have these on the force, not just the police, but for search and rescue, repairs, all sorts of jobs could be improved with these helmets." He nearly laughed at seeing the far-too-big helmet held up on the rabbit. He agreed quite fully to this, seeing little wrong with the mammals using the technology to advance their own tech...he did hope they'd by used over non-combat features over the others. "But if I may make a suggestion; they could stand to be a little smaller

"I'm sure the engineers in this time can rework it to fit your heads. I'll even help if they need it, it will be great to feel useful again. Hopefully this time...for something that can help the world. Where did you find those actually, anyway?"

"Oh, the armory was nearby, so we had a look inside and checked it out." Nick spoke to him, oblivious to the smile fading on the human with the pronunciation of the word 'armory', standing tall. "There's quite a lot of stuff in there, most of which I'm not sure either of us know exactly what they are for-"

"Lock it up and burn it." The sudden interruption came from the stoic-looking human before them. Judy's smile fading immediately when she saw how serious he was, how almost angry he wanted to be.

"Please run that by us again, Travis?" Just asked slowly, lifting the visor to see him without the need of a transparent glass in the way.

"Leave the armory locked up, and destroy when you can." His words carried no care with them, not out of malice towards, but directed to somewhere he knew he would not see again. A part of him was glad that was the case now. "Nothing good can come from using our weapons, no matter how you look at it. Somewhere along the line it's going to make the world more worse than it needs to be."

Just nodded with a soft look, seeing the wisdom this man had with him, wise thoughts that can only come with years of seeing a suffering world. Nick understood as well, not grinning for the rarest of moments, a very uncommon sight for him, as his friend would put it.

"Don't worry, we will." He believed her words as he walked off, back to the command centre as Gazelle followed behind, and giving him a reassuring hand-hug, silently letting him know she's always there.

When he made it back, most of the mammals there were still frantically looking through the human's files of information, from all areas they could find, and many there would be volunteering to work through the night through around-the-clock research as only so much can be read in a day. Most, that is to say except for one lioness who stood by the main terminal, eagerly awaiting for the humans return.

She looked nervous about something, Travis could see with her body language, and approached her caitusly as she bounded towards him.

"Travis..." Her words came out slow. "May I...We...Sorry, we just can't thank you enough. From all of this here, and you letting us use this technology and research for ourselves. You've already gave us so much, and we have still got hours more work to search through, we don't know how to repay you." He held up a palm to stop her, breathing out finely as he replied in earnest.

"I'm just happy to give something back to the community that helped me...and to see all we've done become something that would actually be useful...for once."

"No." Her voice suddenly more stern. "We cannot let what you've done go without a reward. We don't know what you'd want, or what you need, but...we have offered something in return, maybe not towards yourself; but for the other humans that didn't make it. As thanks fro their technology, we would like to honor the names of all the fallen humans with a real funeral and burial. We know it's only a small thing, but we want to thank you, and all the humans, by at least remembering those that didn't make it."

The lone human...did not know how to respond at that at first. Shock and surprise, then a deep thought, not over the idea itself, but of the fallen, of those else that passed away peacefully, dying without being given any chance to force themselves to live. Many of those he knew, many of those he laughed with, played with, and worked alongside. People that meant a lot to him in his time in this base.

He couldn't agree more, chuckling to her as an attempt to hide back a tear as he agreed fully. "I'll find out the names for you. The computer should have their I.D., so date of birth and pictures won't be that hard to find." He immediately went to work, searching through the names and listings, many of those names of friends he knew he wouldn't see again, colleagues, bosses, residents and...those that were just children.

"...Why me?" He lamented as he downloaded the names, seeing the list goes by, thankful that nearby stood his guardian angel, watching over him, and making sure he was never alone.

* * *

It was a new day now, the funeral had passed without incident as Travis and Gazelle watched it on the news. It was considered a major event in Zootopia, due to this being the first big open news about the human race that wasn't a closed story, that is, something less to do with the naked human that ran through the streets months ago. However, this had passed within time, and for now, both had a respite for relaxation as they settled back down in their shared home, as Gazelle would call it.

Though more so to Travis right now, as Gazelle was slowly growing more and more stressed out as she fuddled with her expensive mobile phone, glaring at the device as it refused to work the way it is intended to. She snorted in a rather unlady-like manner as the female verbally threatened to smash the device under her foot if it kept malfunctioning.

Travis wasn't too far away when he noticed the exasperated state she was in, walking close to her casually as he got her attention. "Something on you mind, Gazelle?"

"It's just-" She slumped to the counter table she was resting on as she showed the mobile to the human. "This darn phone is playing up. No matter what it keeps shutting off without any reason. I think the battery is on the fritz or something."

"Mind if I take a look?" He asked as he looked on something that seemed a little primative to him. Not that he would say it out loud, of course.

"Go ahead. At this point it's better to just get a new phone, it's gonna take a few hundred bucks to repair anyways, and a few days." Travis studied the phone in his hands as he kept his ears on her. "I just hope they can save the data, there's a lot of private stuff I keep. Hate to lose it all." She sighed, only half-attentive to the humans work as he pulled out a screwdriver from his person, as he had on him his old work jacket, crafted with pockets all over him, for holding all kinds of tools. With the base opened, he collected all his old equipment that he had before his freezening, as Nick called it once. Most of it was still basic tools, common utensils that remained unchanged even years into the future since it's resurgence, and could work with Zootopia modern technology.

Though there was still a futuristic twists to his instruments, such as the screwdriver on his person, which with a single click on the base of the handle the shaft slowly molded it's metal framework to fill the hole of a screwhead, the human utilizing this to unscrew the back of the phone. Gazelle watched him go with some interest now as she did remember him saying he was an engineer before, and wondered just what he was going to do, as he now removed the back of the mobile.

"Yes...I see now. It seems a chip came loose, and a few wires are out of place. I can see why it's on the fritz; this is just basic technology really." She gave him a raised eyebrow at that remark. Basic technology? Her phone is top of the line, it's among the most advanced mobile phones to date, and he thinks it's nothing more than a tinker toy?

He placed the screwdriver down and pulled out something else: a soldering gun, and began to get to work with the device. "I'm almost shocked there is no plasma-state components, let alone a plasma-drive. I don't even need my R.I.G. for this-just hold on Gazelle, I'll get this fixed in a jiffy."

The mammals in question slowly leaned up from the countertop to watch the human do his work. His hands were almost like magic as they played with her phone, of the way they moved, it was as if he was a genius as he fixed her mobile. Even the state he was in was unlike she had ever seen him do, it wasn't as if he was uncheerful of unhappy, and it wasn't like he was at the base either, if anything he seemed to take joy playing with her technology, but also very focused, his eyes never wandering as each motion he made was deliberate. If she could come up with a word, he might best be described as being "In his element."

It took him close to fifteen minutes, but he never once slowed down as he worked without a hint of flinching as Gazelle could only stare with wide eyes at his moves. It ended with a _click_ as he replaced the cover and turned it on, handing it back to the female next to him as she looked on to the device with her mouth agape; it was now positively fixed without issues. Brand new, even.

"Should be fine now." It was, as far as Gazelle could see, it didn't blink out of life, nor did it say any warning messages. Within a quarter of an hour, he fixed something that would have taken a company hundreds to repair. "I...I don't know what to say...over than I can't thank you enough."

Travis just waved her off politely, saying "Think nothing of it, it wasn't that difficult at all." Yet Gazelle let a smile draw on her face as she would not relent with her praise to him.

"Even still, I can't let this go unrewarded. You deserve something for your troubles."

"Nah, please. You letting me live here is a reward enough. I don't really need anything-" He polite words stopped mid-sentence as Gazelle leaned and touched him. He was so unfocused on the antelope right in front of him he never noticed her presence comign move towards him, her head trailing near his own and with puckered lips, the female left a lingering sensation of her soft mouth touching his cheek just for a second, sliding away as the human was left a blushing mess.

"I think that suits a job well done." The female spoke as she leaned back on the counter, leaving the male in a flustering chuckling mess as the abashed human rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, clearly not expecting _that_ from the female. "Ha ha, yes-well, I suppose for-for an easy job a simple...kiss, wasn't the worst kind of meroit to receive. Not that it's bad-far from it-I mean, It was nice-not that I wanted you to think it wasn't-" He continued to stumble over his words, in a way Gazelle saw as incredibly adorable, human or not he had a cute side she loved to see in males.

"At least I can say you're far smarter than you give yourself credit for, even for a human I bet you're considered very intelligent." He didn't stutter this time, rather the opposite as he was at a loss of words. "I don't know even know what a plasma state drive is, yet you sound like knowing what those are is second-nature to you."

"Oh, I'll show you what that looks like in action, if you want." The no-longer bumbling human began to fuddled with his pockets and pulled out a device of his own. It size didn't look much off from her own mobile, yet this was all black, without any form of screen she could see.

"This is my personal palm computer. I had it back at the base, almost forgot about it nearly. These uses the plasma-drives you asked about. Watch." He clicked a button and the next thing she knew a full HD resolution hologram appeared, floating right above the palm computer. She saw a similar thing back at the base, but this...this was like a smaller version of that without a difference in clarity in the slightest. It was as if it was sci-fi came to life.

"That's...amazing Travis. I never knew you had such a thing." The human felt a little dumb for not showing it to her sooner, though mainly because he hadn't yet fully looked through his whole index, many old stuff he forget he kept on it...some he needed to delete, as they gave him only memories of an awful nature. "What can it do, exactly?"

"Well; pretty much most anything a regular computer can do, really. You know: search for information, connect to other people, play music-"

"Music, as in..._human _music?" Gazelle didn't know she could get anymore intrigued until she heard that word appear. The human didn't know this as eh nodded plainly in reply. "Yes, I have a lot saved on my phone. They actually helped me through the tough times, some of them. Hold on, I'll play you one for you." He searched through a list before coming to one he remembered thinking deeply about many nights of sleep in the base. He clicked it, and in fully detailed speakers began a song that Gazelle knew she had never heard before.

"Hold on-can you please pause it for me for just a second." He complied, and without another word the antelope rushed away, leaving the human confused as she never specified why. Within just a mere moment she returned, holding an acoustic guitar in her hands. She kept that in her room, though he never heard her play it until now, and he did wonder more than once how good she was with it.

He wasn't disappointed as he heard her play; when he turned the music back on, Gazelle quickly learnt the chords as she played the song, opining to the lyrics about if everyone cared about others, nobody would cry, and if everyone loved, than nobody would lie. The song resonated with her more than Travis could imagine, the song she saw more as a beautiful melody than some hit-song.

"And to think..." Her expression faded when the music faded into silence, she almost lamenting as she saw the bigger picture in front of her. "So much of the music like this is lost to us now. So few mammals can hear the remnants of a broken past, now so few of the melodies gone, silenced forever." She tapped at her chin in deep thought over possibly.

So little mammals know of the human's full history, a flawed species that was still able to produce such beauty and love even in corrupted times. As bad as they were, they still had hearts, and could offer so much when they gained so little in return. She wanted humanity to be remembered, not just Travis, but the species as a whole, for all and everything they had accomplished. Not as myths or legends, but as living creatures that could love and give so much.

In a way she knew believed she knew how to express it best.

"Travis...may I make a suggestion?"

* * *

As time went on, certain aspects of life became harder to ignore, and for Gazelle, that meant work, the kind that took her away for hours from the human. But thankfully, as time went on, Travis became adjusted to this bizarre, yet undeniably pleasant world. Thanks to the work of Judy and Nick, he officially became a full citizen of Zootopia, and with an arranged meeting with the Mayor, he is considered just as much an ordinary mammal as any other that livesin this city, even if he is the last of his kind.

With this, he could now wander freely around the city...well almost. Gazelle actively proposed this idea to an extent, as she still wanted him safe, and would only allow him out so longer as a Tiger bodyguard could accompany him. Despite her trust in him, she knew his existence is still big news, and there are others that won't treat him with kind words just like; though, she hoped this could change soon.

He didn't mind it that much, honestly, as he already was getting along much better with the Tigers, as he began to learn they looked up to Gazelle as on older sister of sorts, and he treated them as fast friends, some even wanting Travis to accompany them as they go through their ordinary lives.

Such as this day, as Ed (Or Frank...no it was Danny) wanted Travis to come with him, seeing as Gazelle was out for most of the day, and he had to run some errands of his own. He didn't mind so much, as he liked this world, though he still hid behind a hoodie, he still got to see this colourful world in splendor.

And also getting the time to buy another cherry smoothie-his personal favourite-was the literal cherry on top; as those were additionally splendid. Especially during a warm day like today, drinking the delicious beverage while making small talk with the tiger leading the way, simple swapping of stories of mediocre interest.

"I've just got to make a deposit in here, shan't take long." Danny explained as Travis followed inside the bank, taking a lean on the wall as the pantherine took a spot in the line. He didn't mind moments like this; times where you can do nothing but wait for a minute, as they gave him time to think, time to reflect on the life he has now.

With him now as a registered citizen, he wondered what course he should take with his life. He had little much else with life experience, with him having taken the technical engineer route, he lacked the education in other fields, and the more he thought about it, the more he saw him still using his engineering roots for good. As Gazelle instructed, the mammals will need time and education with handling the new technology, and someone will be needed to lead them in the right direction.

Perhaps...it will be him who could be at the forefront of it all, teaching the other engineers of this city just how the human technology works, and how to progress into a better world. Maybe, in this life; he could create good.

Though if he got a job...did that mean he has to move out? If he can pay for himself, does getting a new house become a part of this process as well? As much as being a homeowner intrigued him...he loved living with Gazelle. He hated the thought of him mooching off her, as nothing short of a free-loader, yet he could not deny sleeping under the same roof of her always compelled him to sleep a warm night. He moved off sleeping in the same bed as her, now having a room of his own-with small thanks to the home being very large, but the fact he could wake up and see Gazelle's smiling face in the morning during breakfast, or just the fact that she was the most pleasant person he's had the luck to just be around...it made him almost depressed at the thought he could no longer have this in his life.

A sudden scream filled the buildings, followed by more as Travis jumped out of his train of thought as the bank suddenly became a bustle of activity, and the human saw a little bunny girl cry as an angered jackal grabbed her by her ears, the young rabbit yelled in pain as the predator held up a switchblade to her tiny through.

"All right all right. Nobody move from their spot, or else." The jackal commanded to all that were forced to listen as he held up the knife threateningly to the child, her mother only watched on with fear as both cried for each other. "I want as much money as you dolts can fit in this bag, and I want it done now!" He shouted, throwing a duffle bag to the nearest bank cashier as the mammal behind jumped at him. Travis could see the little one whimper with terror at seeing the big bag jackal hold her hostage, and the sight of such made his blood boil. Pathetic didn't describe this mammal well enough as it took much of Travis's mental strength not to strut forward and smash his face in. Instead, the human stood discreetly as he formulated a plan while the mammal was clearly distracted, paying little attention to anyone but the frightened bank clerk as he sought for an opening, none others made a move, fearing for the safety of the child.

"Nobody hear make a move," he accented with the blade coming just a little too close to the hostage's throat, the girl sobbing loudly filled the building as she urged herself to lean as far away from the knife as possible, "or else I'll-"

"Or you'll what!?" It was only a few short seconds, but it was all the time needed for the human to sneak behind the jackal and savagely take a hold of his blade arm and wrench it away, holding it straight by his wrist, and glare down to the jackal as he screamed and turned his head, his expression from anger and pain to disbelief and consternation as he saw past the hood of Travis and got a good look of his outraged face.

"Boo!" Travis shouted right at him, with the jackal senses leaving him from the sheer jolt of shock, and the awful mammals eyes rolled into the back of his head as he collapsed from fear, the blade dropped to the floor with a series of metallic clinics, fainting with the human still holding him as the little bunny was freed, the child immediately ran to her mother's side, bawling her eyes out as her mother held her protectively, she too letting the tears fall as the rest of the mammals stood in silence from what they just witnessed.

"I got him now, Travis. The cops should already be on their way, I'll make sure he ain't going anywhere." Danny spoke softly as Travis relaxed his grip on the fainted mammal, letting him rest on the floor as he stood up, knowing full well all the eyes were on him, including the rabbit mother who still held her daughter carefully in her arms.

"Thank you sir. I don't know what I would have done if I lost her. I don't know how to thank you enough." Spoke out the timid adult bunny as she looked up to him, seeing only his back as Travis slowly turned around, and silently dropped his hood. Many short gasps could be heard when they saw the face of the human firsthand, not dismissing the rabbit either as the two looked to the face of Travis.

Who smiled to them coolly, and writing it off with nothing more than a simple. "Don't worry about it."

The police soon arrived shortly after, and by sheer chance it happened to be the only fox and rabbit officers on the force, who now sported the new properly fitting visors on their head, that they loved, as they rushed in and apprehended the criminal, throwing him at the back of their cruiser before being giving the break down of the whole affair, Travis sitting on the bank's outside doorsteps as he explained the whole situation to them.

They both immediately began grinning and laughing as they were told the full story, and it was none other than the human that made the jackal faint with a single silly word.

"Oh mammal, that thing must have been so..." The fox unable to speak firmly as he still bellowed from laughter of the whole scenario. "I can't...I can't even breathe properly. Hey carrots; dibs on writing the report this time, eh? I need to see Buffalo's Butt's face when he reads it." He lightly elbowed his rabbit partner as the female of the two was able to bring herself back to normal much quicker than the vulpine.

"That was...incredible of you, Travis. I'm really thankful you stepped in and helped even _if_ you should have left it to the professionals. You could have gotten hurt." Judy slightly chastised him, but he had a simple retort of his own to give: "If I didn't, it could have been too late. Rather I get cut than the child."

She knew that was the fair response, even if it wasn't the most law-abiding of actions to take. That said, she had to beam at him, happy for his sake and her own, as she loved to know they had a friend like him. "Even then, I'm surprised you didn't so much as punch him for what he tried to do." Nick added. "I doubted many would let him go with just an arm lock and a faint. Think even I wouldn't have minded seeing him getting hurt a little as payback for his actions."

But Travis only shook his head to the fox. "I've seen enough violence, enough hate, enough bloodshed to last several lifetimes. There's already been enough suffering in this world from my time, why add more of it now." Neither retorted to his comment, both agreeing what he said was sound in mind, even with the underlying horror that only scratched the surface of what troubles he had been through. With all them focused on each other, none say the tepid steps taken by a much smaller animal approach them.

"Excuse me...Mr Human..." The soft-speaking words that could come only from a child spoke from the humans right side, and right next to him stood a shy little rabbit, rubbing her foot into the ground as she looked only downwards to the floor, not meeting Travis's face as she timidly spoke up to him. "I wanted to thank you...for saving me...and..."

"I wanted to give you this...as thanks..." She pulled out something for him, but closed her eyes with nervousness as the three inspected the thing in her hands: A carrot-shaped, and tasting, lollipop, still in its wrapper as the bunny held it as high as she could. "I love these, and I thought you'd love them as well...because...you were so nice to me...and all." She didn't meet him eye-to-eye, but he did see the kindness she shared for him as he took it from the girl, taking the wrapping off and inserting the candy into his mouth.

The little rabbit watched, hoping to see him smile from sweet she had given, her little heart hoping she did good. He grinned warmly in thanks, stating it was "Delicious." happily as he tasted the carroty lollipop. "It tastes amazing. Thank you."

The sheer joy on the face of the tiny mammals could only be seen to be believed as she immediately jumped forward and quickly hugged the humans side, a little sniffle came from her nose as Travis returned the side hug with his hand, wiping away that stray tear that dared to damping her cheek anymore than it already was before she bounded away, to her mother waiting patiently by the side as she quickly hurried away with her daughter holding her hand. The girl waved him off as she hopped away, and the human waved back. Judy desperately needed get a tissue before she sobbed her tears out from such a sight.

"Gazelle's going to have my hide for this, isn't she?" Danny half-joked as he appeared from inside the bank, resting on the side as the thoughts of Gazelle _calmly_ chastising him out for letting it all happen sent a shiver down his spine.

They all laughed at Danny's response, saving for the tiger himself, as he could already feel the icy stare the antelope is going to give him.

* * *

From behind the stage the two could hear the sounds of talking live on air, with them waiting for their turn Gazelle began nervously fixing Travis's suit as she brushed him down, while the human just stood there patiently, though he himself was still a little nervous at the knowledge about what is to come.

Both himself and Gazelle were dolled up to look professional and clean for the camera, Rosetta looking pleased that she could tailor something "Actually worthwhile" for him when she was asked , something the male was obviously not used, himself used to appearing only in the back. Yet despite that, he refused to walk away, as shy as he knew he could be, he wanted this. He knew Zootopia deserved an explanation; if they hoped to engineer human technology, they should learn the dangers of it, lest a reputation of the turmoil he suffered sought itself to all mammals.

He knew there would be a question about humanity's disappearance, that much was pretty clear from the outset. Few knew what happened, and their decline was kept silent by his own request, as a rumor of this caliber would spread like wildfire. He kept himself steady and solid, breathing out in deep breathes as their time would be only in a few moments.

"So-" The bright and cheerful host, a deer doe wearing a lavish dress enunciated as she sat on one side of the two couches, both tilting out to the audience so they could see the interview as the camera's rolled with bright lights as a backdrop, awaiting their time to appear. "As many have you have heard, a human-a species once thought as dangerous creatures that existed only in myth-has recently been found to be alive in the city of Zootopia. During an excavation of an underground tunnel, the workers digging through the soil have unearthed an ancient construction of human origin, and from their they had found just one last human kept alive but frozen in stasis. Zootopia officials have managed to move the human away but he escaped, though thankfully not long after he was taken to a safe location so he could cause no harm.

However, in more recent developments it was seen that not only is the human perfectly harmless and a danger to no one, but quite the opposite, as through his help engineers, scientists and doctors alike were able to discover and create some incredible new technology and research that has already become major news across the globe, along with other developments that show he's more mammal than many others. It is now that I would like to welcome you to my next two guests, who have agreed to do an interview for today on behalf of the human race, so please welcome on stage: Gazelle and Travis McNeal!"

Cheers and claps can be heard from behind the stage as Gazelle gave one last reassuring hug to him, letting him know she's with him every step of the way as they pushed forward, taking a firm stride from past the curtains and making their way on stage, the cheers becoming louder as Travis could see over a hundred mammals in attendance, of all species clapping their hands and all eyes were on him.

It took all his mental strength not to shield himself from the bright lights cast upon him, and not to look anxious in front of the camera's as he wondered just how Gazelle could do all this effortlessly without fault. Years of training, he best guessed.

He took a seat on the other side of the couch, Gazelle sitting right next to him as he faced the deer, who looked to the human without apprehension of his presence as Travis prepared himself for the onslaught of questions.

"So, Travis, thank you for coming to us today. And you too Gazelle, as I hear you were the one in charge of keeping him safe, interestingly enough it may be." The antelope waved her off before she could ask her more. "Thanks, but today I only came for Travis's sake. Please don't let this interview turn into something about me."

"Of course, of course. Now then, Travis-" The human mentally prepared himself for what was to come. "For start off. How are things with settling in? I heard you were kept out of everyone's sight not long after you first woke up, especially hard considering the scare you accidentally gave the city."

He opened his mouth, sat up straight, and spoke as clearly as he could: "Yes, due to the way I was woken up; my body suffered through some small problems as the way I awakened was not a good direction for me to come out of stasis. I needed to be awakened slowly, but because no one knew what to do, I had to be administered in a hospital for a while. I won't...bore you with what happened, but I will sate right after I was kept as hidden as I could. Thanks to Gazelle being the one who saved me, I owed her my life for coming to my side, being the one to take care of me when I needed it most." The antelope tried her best not have her blush show up on camera as she simply smiled to the audience.

"In regards to settling in, I found it most pleasant. I was kept inside for the most part, but that was for the best, as it was what needed to happen to me after feeling like I came to on another planet entirely. I now have free reign of the city like any other mammal, after being given citizenship."

"Yes I have heard you actually met the mayor in person, is that correct?" The host didn't miss her chance to ask another question, firing them off like a machine gun round.

"Yes, I greeted him briefly as he talked to me about my citizenship in his own office, just talking about simple details about my life that needed to be written about me. I have to say' he's not as big in person as I thought he would be." A small round of chortles could be heard from the audience, even Gazelle trying her best not snicker as Travis was left wondering what he said was so funny to them.

"Right, now another question many have requested we have- How have you found the city of Zootopia? What is it you like and dislike the most?"

"It's...far bigger than any city I have ever been into...I think. Better than any by far, at least. I can't really suggest what I like and dislike the most though...I suppose I don't care much for Sahara Square, but that's just me with the heat. It's a giant step above the places I used to live, but I don't think that's saying much in my cause." The deer nodded curtly, continuing on as she had much more to speak of.

"Now this question was asked by a few that still are worried about humans: What was their diet; are they primarily carnivores, or is that just from the tales?"

"Humans are omnivorous by nature, and lived off a mixed diet of full portions of meat and green. Though, I'm actually a vegetarian by choice. Real meat was hard to come by when I grew up, and after seeing what the...alternative was to some, I stopped getting any interest in meat. It was fine by me, as it meant more for others. At least I helped out there." He didn't notice the deer slowly relax herself around him, nor did he hear the mumbles of the audience talk about their surprise of this revelation.

"Interesting to know, but for the next question we have is the big one: What was life like growing up in the human world? What was human civilization like?"

"I'm guessing by that, you would also like to what happened to humans as a whole, and why they're all gone?" The deer blinked, but nodded as Travis began to prepare himself for what was to come.

He suddenly felt a hand holding his, and he did not have to look to know it was Gazelle's, as she gave him a reassure grasp of her fingers on his, she is there to calm him should he get worse. But he won't let that happen, for her sake, as he opened his mouth, and began:

"At their highest point, humanity once numbered ten billion, but only after did humans drop in number. To note, in my own time, we had dropped to below one billion. As our population increased, the need for resources grew ever more important, with a high birth rate compared to a low death rate, and the advancement of universal medicine and care, this meant that we were slowly starving the earth dry. Tensions grew high, people stopped caring about their neighbours and grew selfish, and countries began to resent each other over their own need for resources. It reached a breaking point, and full-scale nuclear war seemed to be the only choice left by many, as disproportionate as it may seen, this was the underlying truth of the time." The only mammal in the whole room that didn't open her eyes in shock was Gazelle, as only she here knew the full truth, up till now. And even then, the words he explained still broke her heart a little.

"We began to wipe each other out at an accelerated pace, as a last ditch effort to let only ourselves survive, but this did more harm than good to both ourselves and the planet. If the nukes didn't get us, the lack of resources on the dying Earth would. Even something as common and important now like fresh water was seen as premium back then. We were too stupid for too long, and we paid the price..." The whole audience was bathed in a deathly silence, all listened hard to the human's story.

"And this was before I was even born. By the time my life came to this world, it was already gone beyond any hope of returning to its former glory. The world had turned into an arid ever-stretching desert, dry and dusty, save for a few scattered domes and cities that kept itself afloat for as long as it could. I was fortunate to live in one, but it was by no means nice. It was crime-ridden, law and civilization had practically died at this point, and I, like many others, were seen as worthless, and lived only in basic camps. Just trying to survive through the day was horrible, as it was so hot during the day, you could be burned in just less than ten minutes in direct sunlight, and even at night, it was still hot and unpleasant. But we had to live that way, as nobody but the crazy and suicidal went outside the bases and cities during the day. Simply growing up this way would have had a profound effect on your childhood, and those scars will stay with us forever. Everyone grew up practically broken."

_We all have our scars…_ He remembered Gazelle once telling him as he talked about his life only to her.

"We were all selfish to an extent, all us children were hungry, and the adults as well, some I sought to even stealing from little kids just because they wanted to survive more. I wasn't immune to this either, I too wanted to live a good life away from the slums, and I knew the only way I can was to not be shown as 'useless eaters', and create something with my life. So I forced myself to learn and survive, to become someone, and at every opportunity I could I learnt to be an engineer."

"This paid off, and I was moved to work, and live, in the same base that was discovered in this city. Overtime, I got used to the base, and no matter how poorly I was looked down upon, and how less of a person I was seen as, I knew it was a far cry than living in the slums. I stopped thinking about those that lived in the slums, the hungry and poor, and thought only of the life I have now."

_Nobody can blame you for it, Travis…_ Gazelle thought deeply as she closed her eyes in deep thought, picturing his life in her mind.

"It wasn't...so bad, I think. I got water, meals, and was at least seen as more than nothing, as I did have my uses. And I made some real friends, I actually had a girlfriend at one point, being there for her and a shoulder to cry when she too suffered verbal abuse. Tensions grew higher between races as well, and because she was black-I should clarify, meaning she had a natural born skin colour different from my own- and many thought to blame _her_ just because her race was different from them. At least I'm glad there's isn't such a problem like that in this city, where people are free from prejudice, and no one is judged because of there shape, size, race or in this case, species." Travis let a small smile be drawn on his face, oblivious to the awkward way the doe fumbled with her clothing. The smile only lasted a short while as he moved on.

"However, life in the base was never a permanent solution, and all us there knew we could not last forever. Nuclear war was still happening, and eventually we would run out resources ourselves, no matter how hard we salvaged what we had. Our final hope was to go into cryogenic stasis, our base and others. My final shot at seeing our world before I was frozen was watching the other humans get into tubes just like me, after that...well, I awoke to the world we know of now."

For the next few seconds he saw nothing but silence and melancholic faces; the deer did not respond quickly to him, and even Gazelle gripped his hand, this time only for herself as she forced herself not to ruin her makeup from her tears.

"Well I...sorry I just..." The host fumbled her words as she dabbed at her face with a tissue. Travis let her be in silence as he could see the grief his story had given her. "That was...far from what I was expecting. I...had no idea humans...did that to themselves. I...I'm sorry for the life you had been forced into." Travis took that in stride, not in the slightest bit fazed by the sad looks he was given by all.

"We need to...I mean, Travis." The doe took a second to breath in and out, still sniffling but doing so as quietly as she could for now. "You never told us what happened to your parents. Did something bad happen to them as well?"

"I...I barely knew them, in all honesty. They both disappeared when I was young, most likely to fight in the war they never came back from. I can't even remember...their faces, what they looked like, or even how they smiled. Note even their voices remained in my memory. I lost them, not just in the wars, but time as well. I lost everything I..." Gazelle was quick to make a move and reassure him, hugging his side as he rubbed at his face with his sleeve, and as the antelope whispered words of "It's okay." sweetly into his ears, none of the two knowing just how deeply the mammals in attendance had their views change about him.

"It's not the worst thing in the world to have. The worst will be never gaining anything back, but, at least for me, I've managed to pull myself out of that now. I have Gazelle by my side, and I'm thankful for her help every day of my life here." The smile he gave was met with an equally beautiful one in return. "And I cannot put into words just how incredible it is to see the world go back to normal, even without us here. It is nice to be among a real garden now, with green plants, cool air, soft white clouds peppering the sky-a very different story from what I went through. I don't take a second here for granted, as even now I wonder how it was me of all people that got to know we didn't destroy the world."

The doe smiled sweetly at him as she took the words he meant to heart. Of the over ten-years of being the host to this show, this human was among the few that moved her with his story. All her experience could not prepare her for everything.

"Since you were frozen, one question I myself have wanted to ask is: what is it like? Being in cryostasis?"

"You feel little physically, you body temperature goes down but it only becomes painful shortly, as within just a moment your feel nothing more as your mind leaves and you freeze. It's not the worst experience I've ever tested, I can say that much. However, It had been said you don't dream, when frozen. But you do, and it was more like an unending nightmare, you cannot move or awaken from it, a forever sleep. The only good thing about this I barely remember what I felt, it leaves as suddenly as it appears."

The deer nodded as she moved on, trying her best not to show how troubled these truths were making her. "On a side note to this: Why did humans freeze themselves, exactly?"

"It was a desperate last-ditch effort." He answered without hesitation. "The idea behind it was: go into cryogenic stasis, and let the Earth heal on its own, the plants would come back, and the water and land would regenerate. It was less like a last resort scenario, but more of an idea where the other alternatives would not be as fruitful in the long term. The problem was; somewhere along the line the computer glitched, and something failed to wake us, so slowly we died off one by one as our machines turned off without us being able to awaken properly, and the others essentially died without knowing...the only positive side was they passed away peacefully without trouble."

"Yes, I had scene the funeral procession on live TV. At least they got to have a real burial." He nodded plainly, feeling a sense of relief those he called friends didn't suffer for eternity, whether or not he believed in God was a different subject, but what is was knowing they now rested in peace.

"And I know this isn't the most pleasant of things to hear, but we know they didn't die for nothing." He only looked silently at her as she explained to him. "Thanks to them, Zootopia has learnt of some incredible new tech that has already revolutionized society. From what has been shown so far, the scientists have reverse-engineered Crystalic power cells for clean energy, surgical lasers to lessen trauma and injury, and some have even said that the cancer vaccines were like a gift from angels." Travis let out a small chuckle as he waved it off, stating "I wouldn't go that far."

"Maybe so, but it has already saved much more than we could have anticipated. It's only such a shame that we've taken so much from the humans, and could give only little back. Even with you, only so much can be done to thank them."

"Well...that is except for-" Gazelle pitched in, but not before she made a look to the human by her side, who nodded to her in agreement for what she is about to announce. The antelope cleared her throat as she talked aloud. "Me and Travis have come to an agreement about this: To show our thanks for human civilization, for what they have accomplished and given us, I am now announcing a new concert; not only dedicated to all the humans whose lives had been lost, and their names forever gone, but also I will entirely be using only humans songs for the whole concert, in honour of those that came before us." Whispers and murmurs were abound within seconds as the audience began to mumble between themselves, even the host is shocked with this news as the revelation of this spread like the plague, and both Travis and Gazelle knowing who well this will spread.

Out of sight, Gazelle held hands with the human same as before, as no words needed to be spoken as they smiled to one another, both seeing just how big this new revelation will, and with what they've already spoken of beforehand, they have high hopes for what will be sang, and shown.

* * *

The news spread as quickly as they suspected it would, social media became a warzone of sorts of the revelation of Gazelle's new human based concert. All sorts of mammals dug in search forums for any kind of new information on this 'human music', looking far and wide for any more news, any rumour that led to exactly what it sounds like. Funk, country, techno, pop (many hoped not), rock, death metal. All looked, no leads as the actual content was kept under lock and key until the actual concert.

For such, only the bare minimum knew of what the human music would sound like, especially when Gazelle would be the only one to covering them. This had its downsides, at least to the pair's side, as the weeks leading up was very busy for them, with so much they needed to do; the musicians re-creating the songs, Gazelle learning the lyrics, timing and pitches, downtime was becoming increasingly rare between the two, too busy most days to just spend a nice evening alongside each other. Of course, this meant when they got some silent time, they made the best of it.

As such on this day, with the air now chill, they relaxed out in the garden on this warm summers day, happy just to sit near each other, even though both were engrossed in their own activities. Travis, for his side, sat relaxed on the garden chair, flicking through Gazelle's fan mail as he read them out to her- that is, by reading them out first, as some mail borderlined between creepy to outright deranged. He couldn't put her through stuff like that, lest he try to accidentally upset her again.

"Oh, this is a cute one- it's written by a little mouse." He read it out loud for her as she listened to him, still focused on her own activities but always making sure she'd have time for her fans. She loved to get mail from the children, as it was their smiling faces that kept her going, no matter how tired or frustrated she became.

He placed it down when he finished and randomly picked up a new letter-only to stop when he read the cover. "That's strange," He spoke as he reviewed the one writing, "this one has my name written on it." Gazelle stopped her work to curiously look at him, seeing the confused face he had on. He opened it slowly, bizarre expressed on his face as he pulled the letter out the envelope slowly and reading it through.

For the first few seconds, he never said a word as Gazelle began to feel interested herself, though a little worried for his frozen face. "Well, what does it say?"

"It's from a family of sheep; telling me I'm welcome to visit them anytime I wanted. They say: 'We'll be your family, should you ever need one.'" The female flicked her pencil down as he handed the mail to her, reading through the letter herself, along with looking at the photograph plastered on the bottom; which showed a cheering photo of a family of caprines waving happily to the camera.

The antelope smiled as she placed it down, looking to the human in front of her, who looked more than a little shocked to seeing mail meant for _him_ of all mammals. She glanced down, and noticed among the pile of letters strewn over his side was another letter with his name on it, among all the piles of fanmail she received it was rare to see one not meant for her, save for a few meant for fans of her dancers.

"Well; don't stop now, hun, you've got more than just that one." She handed it to out to him, with him eagerly opening it and reading what was written on:

A single line of three words, with large, childish handwriting was wrote: MY BEST BUDDY. Underneath the writing downed a photo of a lion cub who had a picture of Travis's own mug plastered on a stuffed toy. The human smiled as he hugged the photo to his chest, saying nothing, but to Gazelle she knew what it all meant to his heart

"Seems I'm not the only one with a fanbase now, am I?" She joked playfully, noticing more than a few mails strewn about the pile were aimed for him, with the human expressing the happy emotion he felt in his heart on his face, clear to see from her side. They opened a few more aimed at the human, all written for the intent of making him feel as much a mammal of Zootopia as they were; offerings of attending family gatherings or parties, or letters of sorrow, letting him now there are there for him should he need be.

"Probably won't ever have as many fans as you do." He chortled, Gazelle snickering back as she went back to work on her own activities. This didn't go unnoticed by Travis as his attention was brought down to the paper the female was currently working on.

He knew full well what they were, as Gazelle previously explained this to him before she even got a chance to start, knowing the human well enough of him asking a question whenever he got the chance:

Gazelle plans out all her performances ahead of time, of sketches, with colour mock-ups for her designs, dance routines and costumes. She was actually taught how to draw this by Willie, her helped her show how to create with colored pencils, allowing her to visualize, think, and redo any parts she feels need to be changed. It was a big help for her in the long run, as to her this was pretty much the most practical way to visualize her own show in advance.

She knew he was staring at work, despite being far from finished, and she also knew he was more inquisitive than even the tiger brothers could be, so with a smirk on her face she moved away from her work and to the bag by her side; a simple canvas bag filled to the brim with papers, some of blank pages ready to be used, others were old routines she always kept with her, no matter what she never threw away any old paper away, even the rather rough originals. She flicked through, knowing her collection well before grabbing a selected number of pages and pulled them out, handing them to the human.

"Here is a finished set of designs I did for my last concert over a year ago. You can look them over should you desire it." The second sentence was more laden with sarcasm as she knew full well he wanted to-and he did, wasting no time in checking through the pages with enthusiasm. "There's so much here-how long did it take you get through all this."

"Weeks." She stated as she stood up. "But it was worth every minute of work." She playfully rubbed at his hair, messing the shorter hair up, not that he minded as she walked off to the side. "It does look a bit jumbled, I need to say- if you want, I could help you sort this out in order. I'm used to large variations of paperwork, stuff like that is a breeze to me."

"Oh could you? That would be a big help, thank you." She called as she crouched down to the side of the wall, filling up the watering can as Travis continued looking through the papers, noting in his mind how randomised the pages seemed to be. "Yes, I was thinking how you could-"

His words caught in his throat the moment he turned his focus off the paper and to the female he was stopped short of talking to-as it was then he noticed how she looked. Gazelle had no problem wearing normal clothes around him, as they were generally casual, though modest, in looks, but for this day Gazelle had decided to wear a pair of slightly revealing short jean shorts, that went down a little too low, leaving barely anything to the imagination of the human. This was amplified by her slow walk, almost a crawl in speed, as the female's nonchalantly let a sway go with her hips, knocking back and forth like a pendulum as her plump rear made sure her body looked more than stunning.

"I'm sorry, what was that Travis?" The innocent sounding female questioned as she turned his way, spitting the refreshing liquid down on the thirsty vegetables as the human of her ask forced his eyes to look at anything _but_ her body, down to the papers below in his hands in the hopes he could play it cool.

"I was just...saying how you put this in not only cate...gory's, of your costume and dance, but also in the steps of your dances, especially in regard to...you know-your song list." He could feel the sweat dripping down his forehead, a small hope it was just the warmth of the day, but thankfully the Gazelle a few feet ahead of him barely noticed any changes at all.

"Hmm..."The female rolled the words off her tongue slowly, almost purposefully so… "That does sound like a good idea. I'll be sure to have you with me next time I go through my pages..._right by my side._" A sudden dull clang was heard from the slim mammals side as the female _accidentally_ dropped the watering can down to the floor below, falling onto the grass and mud as the dropper made a loud dramatic gasp as her hand covered her mouth.

"Oh, how silly of me. Let me just get that." She made a noticeable twist with her legs, spreading them a little as she bent herself downwards to pick up the can. She did not bend with her knees, utilizing only her back as her behind was positioned rather pointing-ly to the human not too far off, and this led to him getting a full view of her clothed backside, the cheeks desperately asking to burst from the way too constricting shorts.

As slowly as she wanted it to she picked up the can and leaned back, taking a nonchalant look behind her when she was fully straight, only to see Travis was not looking at her, but instead his face buried deeply in the pages, so into the papers she could not even see his expression.

She gave a soft huff and rolled her eyes as she turned back around and made a beeline to the outside tap, putting the watering can down and walking to the patio doors, opening it up, and striding in, closing it behind her as she walked to the middle of the room.

"Great; a male I WANT to look at me, and he's not!" She spoke to nobody else in the room as she miffed at the lack of response she was given, especially since she had been waiting for this moment the entire day.

Was her rear not good enough? She knew it was a very objectified part of her body, more so than any other place on her, and though she did hate being seen that way to many, she did take some delight at knowing she has some high sexual appeal on her, at least, when directed to a mammal she _wanted _to see her as sexy. If not her buttocks, then what else…

The thought hit her when she thought of other appeals of the feminine body. "Hmm...Maybe humans prefer breasts instead..." She stared downwards to the orbs jutting out her chest. Or what could be called orbs, the antelope thought, as she knew very well that was never a place where she was particularly endowed. She huffed, seeing her thighs past her mediocre boobage.

"Crap." She sighed aloud.

She at no point saw the deeply red face of the hot-headed human, who was still frozen with jumbled thoughts.

* * *

Weeks passed, and tensions grew within the city. The knowledge that each new day brought themselves closer to the impending concert fermented in the minds of fans from every corner of the grand city, news of Gazelle's covering of human music was the talk of the entire city, barely a day went by for somemammal to hear words of Gazelle and her human, and the music he brought with him.

The tensions became so thin it could be cut with a butter knife, but, as the date had never changed one bit, there would be a time when the concert would finally come. The only relief the crazed mammals could be given as there impatient seeked to not pay them off.

And it did-as mammals took their places on this evening, yells, cheers, mumbles and just plain talks were echoed from anywhere as mammals queued in line to take a seat, tickets in hand, sizes giving way to sizes and the impatience was felt by many as it was soon time to begin.

Travis was thankfully not a part of the crowd, as away from the prying eyes of the mammals he stood up in the rafters, as sectioned off was a line of stages high above the ground. These were the VIP areas, giving a room over the ground and a look over the main stage, where no tall mammals or cheering waves of hands could get obscure even the slightest of focus. Of course, no other mammals joined him here, as it was that Gazelle disliked the thought of these sections being made only for those that could afford it, and her concert offered no tickets to anyone for them to be allowed up here, save for Travis, just for him.

Him and his friends, as coming up behind the human was three more mammals: Judy, Nick, and…

"Travis, I'd like to introduce you to my old pal Finnick." He didn't know exactly when he and Gazelle considered the rabbit and fox duo as part of their circle of friends, yet slowly over time it just sort of happened. Now, the two can chat and call with their human and antelope friends like old buddy's, neither really caring when they became a common part of Travis's life, it was not as if they found the two annoying, far from it. Nick, for all his smugness, at least made them chuckle with how casual he was to quips, even if-_when,_ if the vulpine had a say-he can get on their nerves. And Judy's was an absolute joy to be near, as her positive but wise outlook on life and law kept their spirits high whenever they were close to down. Course, the fox had to keep her in check from fangirling over the famous singer, the bunny a rather large fan of the superstar before she even became an honorary officer of Zootopia.

As such, he had no trouble meeting with any friend of the street-smart fox, _any friend of yours is a friend of mine_ as the old human saying goes, though he was a little surprised at the diminutive height of said friend. The fennec fox was shorter than even Judy, yet somehow looked the most threatening of the four there. Travis blinked at the short mammal, as Finnick just eyed him up and down with a bored looking stare, just before turning to the other fox here.

"This? This is it? You kiddin' me, right? This hairless monkey is a human?" A second thing Travis had not expected was the fennec fox having the **deepest **possible voice he had ever heard! To the logical human it should be anatomically impossible for him to talk so low while his body was...so low. He kept that to himself, getting a feeling from what he's seen so far that he had a fuse as short as…

Best he watch the words he speaks when he's anywhere nearby. Instead, the human only shrugged to the shorter fox, leaving a retort of "I find that insulting...to monkeys."

The fennec fox tutted as he moved past and pulled himself off up the balcony, sitting casually atop the raised platform security fence and looked down to the crowd below, not even the slightest bit worried about the height, or being seen. Travis wondered just what kind of friend did Nick bring! He was not the most timid of mammals, even opening a beer can and chugging it down as the human watched with some astonishment of how gutsy of a tiny mammal he was. How did he sneak that past security.

"Oh, don't you worry about old Finnick here- this guy could make an elephant weep from fear just by looking at him." Nick chided as he took a place next to the other fox, though he just leaned on the bar instead of actually sitting on it. The human say Judy's look, who threw the human's way one of a shrug herself- even she couldn't give him much to add for the fox's behavior. "Besides, I think the concert looks about ready to begin." With the vulpine's natural heightened night-vision he could spot movement upon the dark stage, figure's moving around underneath the cover of shadows as the time that was now was not even a single minute away from the scheduled start of the show.

"We love the new visors, by the way." Judy thought to randomly whisper to the human as they all settled to watch the show

Small noises could be heard, ambiguous in nature but this gave more tension to the mammals patiently waiting up front. Then it all began: the music started, the crowd instantly cheering as the foxes could spot a tall figure walk on stage through the shadows. Soft, gentle music began to resound to the crowd, like glasses of the finest quality being lightly tapped for the intro of the concert.

"I'm going to make that change, for once in my own life." They first sound of vocals called out, Gazelle's own voice, her words more serious than song. Then right behind the stage a screen of immense size lit up in solid light, the flat screen the stretched not just from one long side of the stage to the other, but towered high over the figure standing in the centre of the stage. The antelope was bathed in darkness from the front, her face and body obscured by the single light of the screen as she appeared to the audience as but a shadow of her figure, standing still, the crowd saw the movement of her lift up her microphone to the mouth.

Then her performance really began, as Gazelle sang how making a difference felt good, and behind the static of the screen dissipated away from the bright white, and into storybook drawings of humans, simplistic colours on brown background, which then faded into real life pictures of humans.

They were not pleasant to see. From the screen showed videos of starving humans, children so lacking nourishment their ribs can be seen from beneath their skin, long shots of rows of wounded in hospital, cries of anguish from a veteran seeing the graves of those he fought with. Gazelle still sung beautifully with the backdrop behind her; if she wants to change the world, she needs to start with herself.

"Who was I to be blind, pretending not to see their need?" Gazelle opined through her singing as the images changed from behind her. Now they showed the truth of Travis's own time: the domes where the humans had to force themselves to live in, long caravans of refugees stretching out to the horizon as they sought only to find a place to live, and shot of deserts made of rock, dust, bones and death. Of planes dropping bombs on cities, and even the explosion of the positron bomb in all it's hateful glory.

Many in the audience didn't even realise the tears that fell down their faces when they saw the plight of humans, nor did they notice that strongly when some began hugging those closest to them, the dread of this potentially being them was not for many to handle well. Even Clawhauser, the cheerful, chubby radio dispatcher of the ZPD had trouble holding himself together as the tears fell of the anguish of the human race. Up in the rafters the mammals did little better to handle themselves, Nick silently comforting his rabbit partner as he allowed her to wipe her tears on his sleeve. Finnick seemed the least unmoved, yet even then he kept pulling up his quivering mouth under the notion the "Dust from being too high was getting into his eyes." Only Travis remained the least weeping, enough tears were shed from living in the hell they were seeing.

The videos did not seem to cease in despier, of men going off to fight in a senseless war, villages made of wood being burnt and set alight, and of human's who's simple acknowledgement in their own society only brought forth memories of disgust and hate. Within the crowd a wolf teared up at seeing ruined houses filled with poor and starving children, the sight made him clung to his little daughter even more so. Several rabbits gasped at seeing images of lynchings and the Shoah, while a female snow leopard covered her face and sobbed at the sight of a flag-covered being laid to rest while the little son of the buried man saluted his father.

It was not just human history shown on screen during the concert, as interposed were images and videos of the tragedies the mammals made during their own history; of war, of killings, of mass murder with bodies covered by blankets out in the open. Even the horrors faced within the city, from the slaughter done by a crooked cop to the trail of Dawn Bellwether, many of the audience members could feel the guilt they had done, of how little different it was of the humans own ways.

Only after did Gazelle let her singing peak, lights blinked as the antelope finally revealed herself to the audience. She wore an entirely new outfit, loving crafted for this special occasion: a sparkly but modest light-blue blouse and tight black pants. Joined on stage were the four tiger brothers, all wearing modest clothing themselves as they served their purpose as back-up dancers to Gazelle's own dance, who let her body fly as she sang about starting with a man in the mirror.

The videos then started to change it something a little bit different: Instead of war and death, the mammals saw crowds of humans joining together happily, taking to the streets to show their support, holding up signs reading 'Make Love, Not War' and 'Farms, Not Arms'. Seeing trucks roll by and handing out rations to the starving and needy.

Of what hope was starting to fade slowly regained as more was shown on screen, backed up by the antelope singing and dancing her heart out to the music, asking the crowd to look at themselves and make a change. Pictures of human doing more, of one soldier carrying a wounded ally on his shoulder, of religious groups taking it in turns to join hands and protect the other as they prayed during protests, even of enemy forces fighting together to protect prisoners. Of humans they didn't know but saw were doing good for their world.

The mammals went wild at seeing the photo of a little girl rescued from a hole, her savior receiving happy pats on the back by others for his rescue- with the photo suddenly fading it something almost exactly the same; of a polar bear rescuing a little lamb. The following shots showed more of the mammals own efforts- children giving food for the homeless, of a wolf helping mice escape from a fallen log, of an otter family bringing gifts to a hospitalized giraffe. Down in the audience a rabbit got the surprise of her life when a lion gracefully picked her up and placed her atop his own head, both singing along cheerfully to the music. Not far off a black panther held hands with a deer as they both smiled from the contact, while other couples hug with joyful tears running down their cheeks.

By the time the chorus returned many of the mammals in the crowd began to sing along with the Gazelle, as they repeated the lines about the man changing his ways, the crowd erupted with the choir of thousands of animals singing in tune. Even Judy screamed at the top of her lungs, being the only mammals up their with enough enthusiasm to sing along, though Finnick gave her a raised eyebrow Nick laughed along with, even singing lightly himself when the doe pulled him to her to belt out the lyrics.

"Zootopia!" The centre-staged antelope yelled to the crowd as reached out to them all. "What are we gonna do!?"

"Make that change!" The crowd belted back as Gazelle ate it all up, as joyful as the crowd was feeling.

"Yes! And who're we gonna start with!?"

"THE MAN IN THE MIRROR!" The chord echoed like wave in the crowd, so loud even the fennec fox sitting ifly off the side had to pull himself away from nearly falling off the balcony, receiving a laugh from the vulpine next to him as he shot back an angry glare for a fault that was clearly his own.

"THAT'S RIGHT!" Gazelle bellowed just before getting back into the song, singing the chorus aloud as the audience danced with her, as more hope was shown from both humans and mammals, of the kindness and selfishness they all shared.

While Nick was cheering them on, giving a side-hug to his bunny girlfriend he suddenly received a nudge on his arm that could only come from the fennec fox. As he looked to the smaller individual he saw Finnick tilt his head Travis's way with a smug smile. The vulpine looked and saw the way Travis looked down to the Gazelle on stage. The human looked positively melted as he leaned over the balcony, perfectly relaxed as he smiled down to the antelope and her performance. Finnick gave a knowing look to his friend, as Nick took a glance down to the bunny under his arm, and nodded to the fennec. As strange as might be to imagine...hey, he had Judy, so who was he too say it's not right. He chuckled under his breath, looking back down to the performance as he wished the best of luck to the oblivious human.

It was then just a few moments later the human stopped his relaxed look when he saw the next footage shown on screen; that of the only human left alive on screen, of him tackling the bank robber and saving the little rabbit. He heard the crowd cheer at seeing this, and even Gazelle, who was already deeply into her own performance, left a wink up at him as he blushed furiously at the attention. Gazelle didn't happen to be the only mammal looking up at the human; as in the crowd was none of than the chief himself, a little known fact being he is as huge of a Gazelle fan as the obese receptionist is. Bogo was more than a little distrustful of the human when the news first appeared, though more to do with his job title than due to much preconceived misconception, but even the stubborn buffalo could acknowledge the good the human has done, giving a knowing nod his way as thanks to his efforts, as the second image appeared, one showing the human give a side hug to the happy bunny girl as the backs of Judy and Nick could be seen, the two in question almost laughed at seeing themselves on screen, even if only from behind.

The music began to die down, the last chorus being sung as Gazelle could feel the action die die down, the antelope letting her voice slow for the final part, and just as the screen left a final shot; of the Earth taken from the moon, the camera slowing zooming out as Gazelle sang the last words of the song:

"Make that change..."

After the concert ended, the news was soon raving all about it. Not only was the new album a her biggest success yet, with almost all the songs becoming smash hits, along with Gazelle having all the money she will earn be donated to entirely to charity, but reports that community service had grown to an all time high just mere hours after the concert, with millions having being poured into aid programs within a span of less than four hours.

They watched this happen on Gazelle's TV; not just her and Travis, but Nick and Judy joining them, along with Finnick, who just kept to himself silently on the side.

Nick winked at Travis for his what he helped do. "Ya did good...for a hairless monkey." Judy quickly rebuked him by pulling out a hair from his tail, the high-pitched that proceeded right made them all in the room laugh at the fox's antics, who gently brushed down his tail cleanly as the rabbit chided him softly.

Gazelle gave a much more fitting response to the good he has done; who hugged the human and kissed his cheek, over the moon, as she said it never would have happened with him. It wouldn't have happened without Gazelle either, Travis thought, proud of her being the one to formulate her performance into something special that has already helped so many.

"It is a shame we couldn't do anything sooner." The antelope smiled sadly, all looked to her as she continued. "I never got to see or meet any human children. I would have loved to see the young humans in person." A reassuring pat from the human stopped from frowning before she knew she would have.

"Kids today are not much different from the ones we have now...save for a tad more fur." Gazelle giggled in response, hugging him close as she agreed, and paid her attention to the TV as it showed the cover for her new album in bold detail:

It shows Gazelle standing in front of a mirror from the side, head bowed, eyes shut as she stood in an empty, darkened room. The mirror has the ghostly, faceless reflection of a human, with thousands behind them. It was Willie who was responsible for painting it.

And to Gazelle, it was her greatest album yet.

* * *

As the weeks rolled by summer ended, and autumn rolled in. The warm sun replaced by the cool air, and though the seasons remained rather permanent in the other districts, Downtown never let the seasons by denied to their citizens. As the leaves browned and fell, mammals wrapped themselves up more for the oncoming wind and freezing cold.

Travis was no exception as he too was wrapped up in his large jacket, enjoying the fresh air and scenery. As Gazelle prepared lunch for the two back in the kitchen Travis let himself wait patiently out in the garden, relaxing on the chair as he drank some of that yummy Cocoa-Cola, listening lightly to his Palm Computer playing a song in the backdrop, something about it being Friday and in love.

Now, one thing Gazelle had remembered Travis said to her during the moments of quiet reflection was how he regularly had soup for meals. Though never the tastiest, they filled him up and were rather easy to find and cook, an important commodity in his time. One thing he had memories of was having hot vegetable soup as a kid, one that had alphabet noodles sprinkled over, with him sometimes trying to spell out words do cease his boredom. The more complex the better; it's not as if playing with his food was seen as that offensive anyway. This gave her an idea for something for him, the human never knowing what was in store for him until the female came out holding the bowls in her hands, placing them down in front of him as he looked into the bowl of food made for him.

And in the bowls of Alfabeto tomato-broth soup did the words "LOVE YOU" appear front and centre in the middle. When he looked up to the chef, she just give him a wink as she set her own down and joined him. The human could only chuckle at seeing the soup, adding a remark "Looks too good to eat now." To her.

"Oh no, don't tell me; my food is not good enough for even a human." Gazelle feigned loudly, raising her hand up to her head as she overly dramatically called to the sky. "Oh, what will I do now; are my cooking skills so poor I can't even serve simple edible food? And what will happen to this human, who waited so patiently for some grub; will he starve? Will he force himself to learn how to eat grass? Oh, if only my cookery skills were good enough for his high-end palette."

Travis let out a snicker at Gazelle's acting performance. The female rarely tried her hand at acting, as she knew her talents were in singing and dancing, not being one for Television shows. She knew she was far from good, having little practice in the subject, and chose to refrain from such a medium, save for some limited commercials she did scattered throughout her career.

"All right all right." Travis played along cheerfully. "I'll eat some. I won't let the food you made go to waste. It seems I just have to grin and bear it." Gazelle laughed back, stopping her over-the-top attitude as she joined him for lunch. The broth was lovely to Travis's 'high-end' palette, fresh and tasty, as it warmed his insides as much as Gazelle's spelling did.

They continued to eat in silence for the next few minutes, getting nearing finishing the bowl when a few knocks could be heard coming from the front door. The patio was open, so the two heard it cleanly, and just a moment later did the sight of one of the tigers come inside. It was Frank, Travis finally feeling he could identify the brothers from each now, as the feline strode in carrying something in his paws.

"Sorry to interrupt your meal time, but someone had left this for you. Said it is a special gift from a fan." He held it out, showing the too a rather large package. It was big, but seemed flat too. "It's for you two personally. Don't mind me I'm just here to drop this off. I'll be out of your hair immediatly." The tiger bro quickly took his leave from the two, not saying anything more as left the perplexed duo on their own.

"See ya, Frank." Travis waved him off, unsure what to make of this.

"It's Danny." The pantherine corrected as he left.

"...Darn." Travis added defeatedly as he turned back to the Gazelle who was studying the wrapped package in her grasp. "Well, what's inside it?" She just shrugged, stating there's no return address on it or anything. Without anything more to say, Gazelle quickly unwrapped the package as Travis watched, drinking a swig of his soda as the female ripped through the wrapping.

When she fully unraveled the package, all the wrapping coming clean off and leaving the inside bare, Travis nearly dropped his can in shock at what he saw in front of him:

It was an absolutely BEAUTIFUL painting, expertly crafted from hand. Painted on the canvas was a portrayal of both Gazelle and Travis themselves, standing silently over a hospital bed, praying down to a little raccoon child lying under the covers. What surprised him the most about this was the fact that he and Gazelle had been drawn with angelic wings! The detail so intricate he could see each feather was drawn with immaculate attention.

"How..." Travis managed to breathe out as he looked up and down the painting, the mere sight seemed more like a dream than anything real. Had he bumped his head and imagined this?

Gazelle was in just as much shock, and it was her that pointed out the note sticking under bottom of this. "What does it say?" The human asked, frozen with understandable shock and confusion at the painting, as Gazelle flipped it open and read it aloud.

"Dear Travis and Gazelle: It is with my deepest gratitude that I thank you both for what you have given our family. Without the cancer vaccines, our son might not have pulled through. But now, he is already getting better by the day. I don't know what we would have done if we lost him, and our family knows that he wouldn't be alive today if you hadn't brought the treatment to Zootopia.

We don't know how to thank you, but as I work full time as a painter, I thought the best way to show my thanks is to paint this as tribute for my unending appreciation of the gift you have given us all. Best wishes

Micheal Lotor, proud father of a happy and alive Kevin Lotor."

Neither really knew what to say to this. What can be said about the gorgeous painting depicting the two as something neither thought themselves as at all, or how this simple gift would stick with Travis for the rest of his life.

Gazelle refused the human to think himself as anything less of a mammal, being the one who stuck by him and never wilting his confidence, always encouraging to do something should he want it. This painting here is proof of why she never doubted him

* * *

More months had passed in the two's lives, and not before too long winter had come. The cold dreary and miserable to some, but to Travis he'd take that over the heat any day. At least he could wrap himself up with the cold, as opposed to being only in his underwear and still be too hot under the harsh rays. When the snow fell and settled, Gazelle could tell he wanted to go outside and meet the white flakes in person.

And as it was a day off for her, she gladly joined him on a trip around the snow-fallen Savanna Central, taking a walk around the district as the human enjoyed his innocent trek. Granted, he had taken more than a few trips in Tundratown, but it was something else waking up and seeing his home surrounded by the icy precipitation, a happy night sleeping while the snow began to fall.

The two took a quiet walk around the park, both wrapped in warm winter clothing so thick it obscured their identity, which was definitely a good thing, as neither wanted to be interrupted with their fun in the snow. To Travis, the whole sight was beautiful to behold: the whole ground covered in harmless fluff, so white and pure, a setting where the kids can go out and play for hours, as opposed to sinking inside away from the sun. A presence that urged all to laugh and play-

He left his back wide open, long enough for a flying snowball to come out of nowhere and hit his back with a clean shot. He jumped around from the cold sensation on his back, shocked from the sudden cold flump that hit his unprepared body. He looked behind himself in surprise- to see an antelope giggling at his expense.

"Gotcha!" She had trouble holding back her laugh as Travis just looked at her with shock. Then he glared an icy stare at her still chuckling at the silly way she made him be, and looking down to the fallen frozen water all around him, he knew what to do; to enact a revenge best served cold.

In one fluid motion the human bent down and scooped up a handful of snow in his hands and throwing his arm back he launched it all at her-

Only for the snow to dissipate in the air, creating nothing more than a cloud of pure white that barely even dusted the Gazelle, the female trying her best not to chortle at his pathetic attempt, but she did make an audible snort loud enough for him to hear. She tried not to make fun of him, knowing full well it was probably the first time in his whole life that he actually created one.

His glare only grew at knowing how bad his first attempt was, and wasted no time in trying again, this time patting the snow in his hand to turn it into a ball-so to speak- and with a launch he tossed the snoball her way-only for it to miss completely. The female only shook her head at him.

"I won't be defeated yet!" He yelled in triumph as he tried again; however this time Gazelle didn't let him shoot as she too bent down to her side to pick up a snowball of her own.

A mistake on her part, as her rear was left wide open-with one lucky hit the human threw a ball of snow that smashed right into her buttocks- earning a yelp of a cold influence as the cool sensation ran down her right cheek. From shock to annoyance as the human only gave her a ridiculing wave of his hands. "Oops." He went in a silly manner, knowing full well how bad he was mocking her.

Yet the Gazelle didn't snort or huff, rather, she grinned to him in an almost devilish manner as she let out to him slowly, threateningly, as her eyebrows furrowed downwards. As with one scoop of both her arms she grabbed as much snow she could without letting any drop and brandished it like a weapon over his head.

The human now realized what a big mistake that was as approached him carefully with strong steps, the human backing away himself from fear at seeing the pile of snow held in her long hands. "Now you're gonna get it." And with that, the two played a chase of cat and mouse, Travis running as hard as he could over the snowy ground as Gazelle ran to him like a mad doe on nighthowlers.

The two wasted a whole hour playing a snowball fight, only stopping when both became too exhausted to continue. That wasn't so bad, to the human, as it meant a nice warm dinner could be served from them both, made lovingly, of course, by the antelope cook as she served them both a nice hot veggie soup, made only from the greens of Gazelle's garden that had been frozen to be consumed past the winter season. Paired alongside some warm buttered bread, it was a pleasant meal that Travis always loved to have.

Days like this is what keeps him going, days with the mammals is what made him laugh. He wouldn't give any of it, or her, up for anything the world.

* * *

A year. It had been a whole entire year since the two had first met, a whole year since he was awakened in this strange world. 365 days since the scientists removed him from the old base and had him thawed. A year filled with much joy, sadness, regret...and of course, Gazelle. The most important mammals in his life, from beginning to now.

It was just a normal winter day to them; common stuff went on, life happened and dusk had fallen as the two settled into this cold night, idly watching the Television as they snuggled comfortably under the wool blanket.

"Warm?" She asked simply as he kept himself close to her warm fur. The human hummed in response, huddling his bare cheek into her relaxing soft fur as he paid his attention to the movie.

As close as they were, Gazelle knew how she felt about him, how she REALLY felt about the human being with her. She was not dull in mind, she knew herself very well, having years to mature and age in this world that served cruel, harsh lessons whenever it found fit. The thing she didn't know was how the human truly felt for her. Platonic, or something deeper. And now seemed as good a time as ever, at least to her it did, as she couldn't think of there being a _better_ time. So lightly, she began…

"Travis; may I ask you some..._personal_ questions?" He looked to her after she let that out, yet wasn't put off by the question as he replied, "Certainly. Ask me whatever you want."

"Alright." She nodded as she prepared her questions for him. "I wondered about this for a while, as strange as it may be to ask you out of the blue so suddenly, but...if you would like to answer my question: What kind of woman are you into?"

He gave her a funny face, yet did not seem to take offensive of this question as he shrugged it off plainly. "I...I guess I'm not too bothered by what I was given. It wasn't as if I had a lot to choose back then, so I'd say I'm not that picky, overall. One with a gentle heart and kind demeanor is all I ask for, in the end. I'm glad Cassandra fit that bill well enough." She nodded as she thought all this down in her head.

"And your girlfriend- I mean, do you still pine after her, knowing she will never come back?"

"I've known I would never see her again for a long time. Longer than you may think." She tilted her head a little as he explained himself. "Before I was frozen, me and her had a little...well it was messy, the last time we saw each other, as she was conscripted to a different base. So no, I don't really pine for her, the more I'm just sad for her. I don't know what happened the last time I saw her, but I know she's gone forever. I've learnt to move on, just like you have."

She smiled a little as she knew what he was referring to. Who they loved was gone from their lives, but they still had their memories.

"Well I know this next question is a bit more..._wilder_ than the last two, but...Okay, I'm just gonna spit it right out and say it-Do you humans prefer breasts or asses?" If he had a drink in his mouth he most likely would have spat it all out as she asked him _that_. He gave her a confused stare, but she made no attempt to right it off as a joke, her question far more serious than it has the right to have been.

He still replied in earnest, even while being a little unsure about the whole thing. "Well, I can't say the truth for _every_ man ever, as it very much can vary, but if you're asking just me than in all honesty I'm don't particularly lean either way. I place more importance in emotional bond rather than looks."

"Well that's...one thing to know. I only have one question left for you now, and if you don't want to answer it, I won't force you to, as it is an important one, but if you do; Travis, tell me: Do you think you can ever find love again? Not simply because of your old girlfriend, but because of you being the last human on Earth. Do you think you can ever be attracted to other mammals?"

The next few moments with the two were stuck in an almost complete silence; only the sounds from the TV, which had now become nothing more than background noise, and the ticking of the clock stopped the whole building from being bathed in reticence.

"I can't say for all mammals," He finally let out after a few seconds too long for the female. "So many different shapes and sizes, colours and species. It's hard to say which ones I am able to feel any attraction to...but I won't be a hypocrite and lie that I don't value emotional bonds over looks. So really, I'm not exactly sure where on the fence I would be for that matter. However...I can say that there is one mammals I undeniably am attracted to, one I enjoy being around, one that I know I have fallen for after all these months." He spoke all this while staring longingly into Gazelle's eyes, not once taking them off her golden iris's, and at some point in between, his hand silently reached over to grab a hold of hers, daintily folding his fingers in between hers.

She knew her answer now. One she never directly asked, but one she could see he replied to cleanly.

All this time, all these months, all these hardships and emotions they faced almost never apart, and now, here the two sat, holding hands underneath a warm wool blanket, as they gazed at one another.

The clicking of the clock never ceased, and for just a brief fraction of time Gazelle looked away from him too see the infernal sound of the clock hanging on the wall. In that short moment, she noticed the time, and almost immediately a plan was devised into her head. She did not want what she wanted to happen purely on instinct and in the moment, she wanted it to be special.

"Travis," she began as she stood up from the couch suddenly, reluctantly letting go of his hands as her tone shifted to a serious matter. "At ten o'clock I want you to come to my room. I want to show you something important, something I've been wanting to show you for a while. Think you can do that for me?"

He nodded, confused by what she meant as she walked away, leaving him alone and baffled by what she meant. Completely unsure of what she wanted to do, compared to the female, as she knew exactly what she wanted to do.

Minutes, and ten at night struck. It had been a strange wait, being she asked him just before 9:45, but he complied without resistance. He turned the lights off, the TV shut off as he stood in the darkness in front of Gazelle's closed door. He inhaled as his mind when blank with coming up with anything to explain just what she wanted to show him. Nothing came to mind, leaving him left with only the waiting to bide his time. He exhaled as he looked up to the white door in front of him, tentatively holding up a hand to knock twice on the wooden barrier.

From behind, he heard shuffling, the sounds of the lights being turned off and the creaking of the bed as weight was placed upon it, and only a second later passed as he heard the voice speak from the other side: "You can come in now, Travis."

Slowly, he opened the door, letting the hinges creak with him as he took his walk inside, a step by step as the door revealed the sight in front of him, one that made him unable to take another step as his jaw practically dropped when he saw what was on the bed.

It was Gazelle, sitting legs crossed on the bed demurely, eyes closed as her body was bathed in glittery moonlight. That wasn't the odd thing for him; what was is that the female had changed from her casual clothing to something a lot more sensual in design, as no other word best describes the style she wore like a professional model. The female had adorned on her beautiful body a set of deep crimson lingerie; with a thin bra the lower portion of her chest, stocking tied around her waist that went down her thick thighs and open panties that covered all but the most important part, her crotch covered only by the fact she had her legs crossed. I wasn't just her clothing that helped to sexualise her body, as her hair had been curled around the back of her head, being let loose to dangle free so it not obscure her face, which had been brightened up with mascara and dark purple eyeshadow, and ruby lipstick that luscious puffed out her lips.

The human felt a little underdressed as seeing her like this, himself only wearing basic pajama top and bottoms.

"I have never said, just how much you mean to me, did I Travis?" Her eyes fluttered open, looking daintily at the human who just stood there dumbfounded at the sight. "So it's about time I told you then: Travis, I, in every conceivable way, am in love with you. I had fallen for you months ago, and I don't feel it's right for you to be thrown out the loop for this. So I've done this to myself to let you know that I love and care for you with all my heart, my handsome human. I want you..." The words she let come from her mouth were soft and delicate in nature, nervous belayed by her keeping herself steady, never before had she put herself in this situation before. "Would you except me for having fallen for you, even when our species are nothing alike? Do you think we aren't meant for each other, our hearts never able to connect together?" The mention of that had not gone well through her mind, as she had to hold herself back from letting the tears shed down her makeup and ruin her incredible look.

Yet the human gave no verbal or even physical response, just staring at her blankly like his mind went blue screen. He blinked, and slowly his body softened as the entire implications had set in. And he moved.

Not towards her, but instead to a drawer, as Gazelle watched with a mixture of confusion and doubt as the human pulled out a large tissue. His expression was still kept in a blank state as he moved closer towards her, Gazelle only freezing up as he came close, as he took a light grasp to the fur of her head, holding her steady- as he calmly began to wipe away at the stuff covering her face.

For the next few seconds the antelope only sat there in a confused state as he continued to wipe her makeup, the male saying nothing as he just cleaned it all off. She began to stutter a moment after, getting his attention, even by shaking her head a little before jolting it back, staring upwards to him as he, for the first time setting foot in here tonight, smiled at her.

"You don't have to wear fancy clothes or to doll yourself with makeup just for me, Gazelle. That isn't what I care about. Now, the sweet, loving, kind lady, who opened her heart and her home to me. THAT'S who I care about." Within the next second the female became just a blur as she almost crushed him with a hug, pulling herself onto him as she rested her head on his shoulder, not actually speaking anything as she relaxed on her his body.

The human was only taken back for a few seconds as he returned back, wrapping his arms around her like she was doing to him as they rested that way. For the next few entire minutes, the duo stayed cuddling in silence, listening only to the sounds of the partners deep breathing as they felt the warmth permeate from one mammal to another, the skin they had shared its heat to each other.

She was first to break the silence, letting a mumble come from under her breath as she shared "And to think; I brought this clothing months in advance. Only now do I get to wear it, and I find it's not even needed." The human chuckled as he separated the hug, looking down to the seated mammal still in his arms as he looked over her lingerie. With all that he said before, he would not deny how sexy Gazelle truly was wearing this set of sensual clothing. The sight stirred something deep in him, a sensation, a movement of blood going places it hasn't been coiled around in quite a very, very long time.

"Well, to me you're one of those ladies that looks lovely even when wearing old, torn up sweats. Dolled up or with comfy clothing, you're pretty either way, as your inner self always shines through. _But_ I won't lie and say that set of clothing you're wearing doesn't do anything for me. You look drop-dead gorgeous wearing it...it's the most sexiest I've ever seen you be. And I do mean that." He looked her dead in her eyes as he said all that, conveying all he said was without a lick of dishonesty. It was said to make her feel better, she knew that, and she knew it worked. She didn't care if she wasted money on it, it was just some clothing, but what she did care about was if Travis liked it on. And evidently…

She held the tissue back for him as he continued to wipe off the rest of the make up, the Gazelle sitting patiently as he cleaned the rest away. "Did you at least notice my occasional flirts? I wasn't sure if I was maybe a little _too_ subtle."

"I did, actually, though it took me a while to realize it. Sometimes I had to make sure to look away just so I wasn't being too obvious. I don't like to think of you as a piece of meat to be drooled over, or as an object meant to be used then discarded for the next interesting find. I had to mentally slap myself when I stared at you for too long, because I believed I shouldn't treat you like that. You brought me into your home when you didn't even know me, stood up for me, and helped me. I can't treat you like that after all you've done." With one final wipe the makeup was gone, at least, the one's around her eyes, with one clean flick the tissue was flung to the side as he turned the conversation around. "What I wanted to know most was if you could? Could you care about a hairless ape the same way I fell for you?"

The female smiled as she brought her hands up and stroked at his face, feeling the bare skin of his cheek. "Well, I think your hairless skin is wonderful, very cute and sweet, just like you. Tell me then; after all this, do you still want to know the answer to your question?" She asked, as she felt his face nod ever so slightly as his face remained unreadable, quiet even.

"Then kiss me, Travis. Kiss me like you've always wanted to." She whispered as she watched his body movements right after, the human cupping his hands over her cheeks, not so much nervously, but carefully as he held her steady. Moving his face forward to her as she closed her eyes and waited for the contact, his breathe hitting her fur as he slowly moved forward out of her sight as he was in control of the touches.

And then she felt contact, his lips brushing over hers as the human melted onto her mouth. It more than a simple peck of lip-on-lip, but a passionate still as his mouth covered her own, pulling forward and coating as much of her lipstick-painted lips on him as he could. She moaned into the deep kiss, and her hand moved on its own to cup the man's chin, as she held him steady as they let their instincts drive them and let their lips stay on one another.

Gazelle mindlessly thought of the road the two had taken to get them to this point. The troubles they faced alone, the blocks they found together, and the feelings they shared that only know the other knew of. So much to go through to meet themselves here, it all seemed almost silly to her.

So silly she began to chuckle under her breathe, her laughs making their way into her kiss until her chuckles became too strong and the kiss was separated, Gazelle having to pull away as she regained her sanity as the human just looked with confusion. She stopped her snickering quickly as she looked up to the human standing over her, that beautiful man who she made herself move away from.

"You taste good." She complimented, still feeling the contact lingering on her lips, preceded by a peck on her nose to prove her point, letting a stray bit of lipstick stay on his face. The human smiled warmly in response. "And your fur is warm and soft, just like you." She returned his smile back, gently moving a strand of hair from his face, her eyes lidded as she touched his nose with hers, and uttered out those special words to him: "I love you."

"I love you too, Zelle." His eyes teared up a little as he spoke out that special name of hers, being among the very few who can call her that. The female quickly grabbed his face and brought him closer, nuzzling his forehead against hers as she stroked his hair, shushing him as the human became overwhelmed with joy and happiness. "I love you so much." The female held him close, hugging him almost to dear life as they settled into a happy glow of unchaste cuddling.

"The lingerie I brought...wasn't just for show." She whispered seductively into his ear, making the human shiver when he realized what she meant. "I had hoped you and me could...share our love with each tonight. I did want our intimate time to be...special." The human jumped his head away as he hovered his face over hers, as she remained looking at him sublimely with her sparkling eyes, his face was of shock...and curiosity as the female absolutely knew she was teasing him bad, though not without reason.

Travis then chuckled nervously, rubbing at the back of his head as he lightly joked: "It has been a few thousand years..." Yet Gazelle only shook her head with a giggle, giving him a squeeze before offering her hand to him. He accepted without question as she asked him slowly "Then would you like me to take the initiative for you?" He nodded lightly, the human never was that forward with intimacy, from before and now. So with that the antelope guided him to sit down on the bed, legs hanging off the side like female was as this time she stood over him, being in full view for him.

He could see all of her now in majestic elegance, her tall frame letting the lingerie glide down her body as it let nothing be obscured form full view, including her crotch, with it's purposeful hole, for the first time in his life the mammal before him was practically nude for him, her natural beauty shimmered from the moonlight seeping in from the open curtains: he believed he had never seen such a beautiful woman in all his life.

Gazelle began to lift his shirt up for him, Travis offering no resistance as he lifted his arms up for him, letting her throw it to the side as she then grasped the hem of his pajama pants and made a tug. He understood, and helped pull them fully off so now the male was sitting nude on the bed, legs instinctively tucked in as Gazelle carefully pry them open, the human trying not to squirm in his seat as the female got a good look at his genitalia.

Granted, it wasn't the first time for her, but that was only during when they first met, and all her focus was on her sickly and broken he was, and made sure he was covered up to not freeze to death. Ever since she gave him privacy, not intruding on him like she owned him in some way. But now, for the first time she got a look at him up close at his personal organ, laid bare _for_ her to inspect and share. It was an interesting design, with no sheath as part of his anatomy, just a thick mound of unkempt hair.

But more so, the male was already sporting a semi- half erect purely from seeing the mammals own sexy form alone...and partly, also from the desires she wanted of the male. "I'm going to touch you now; if you ever feel uncomfortable with what I'm doing, just tell me and I will stop. This is for the both of us, in equal measure." He agreed, opening his legs wide for her as she leaned down to his member.

She took a light grasp to his shaft, the contact made him shiver as she felt around his penis. She stroked with her fingers, feeling the almost alien skin covering the length as she stroked it back and forth, the blood beginning to pump inside the member as she felt the heat escaping from it. She licked her lips in anticipation for the proceeding moment, knowing full well what she was about to do as she got to her knees, the human watching with lustful interest as she moved mouth closer to the tip of the shaft, opening it wide and closing it down on the humans tip.

It wasn't the first time the human had a woman's mouth there, not the second, but the sensation of a woman's mouth other his shaft still sent a wave of pleasure through him. Meanwhile, Gazelle slowly bobbed her head back and forth, trying not to show it was her first time doing such an act as she moaned onto his dick, the taste driving her forward as her tongue lashed at his length. With her muzzle, she could pull herself more forward than the average human, her saliva coating his cock as her mouth reached the end of the member. Her nose tickled the pubic hair on his crotch, and with how close she was she could smell his scent. Letting in a long whiff with his nostrils as she engraved the musk of the human into her memory, almost feeling entranced by the smell.

But she could only do this for so long, as to a selfish extent, she wanted him inside her. She wanted to be claimed, and enticing as this was to them both, she needed them to be as one. She hated to wait any longer then she had to.

She bobbed her head away, leaving the human in a sexual mess as she unconsciously licked her lips as the taste lingered and stood up, taking the human's hand in her own and guided him back from the end of the bed, pulling him gently along with her as she lead to pillows, softly guiding him to sit down on the soft cushions as she towered over his sitting form, her lower opening just inches from his hard-on as she put her weight on her knees.

She ran her fingers over him, around his body as she loved the feeling of his warm bare skin, feeling the muscles he held underneath. The human seemed to almost copy her as his own hands were wandering around hers, as she never wanted to deny his touches on her, Travis felt around Gazelle's body, the soft smoothness of her fur brushed his palms. His hands wandered more, caressing her long, elegant neck with supreme up love, and up her head as he was careful of her ears, noting how delicate they were in his fingers as they transferred to her spiralling horns, the ribbed textures of the two projections fascinated the male. The antelope playfully shook her head as he touched them, making the human pry away as she giggled from her own actions.

While the female towered over him, he wasn't left too low as his hands caressed her cheeks to pull her face forward, giving her rise to chuckle as he left a kiss on her cheek, with the female returning it with a nose nuzzle as she realized she momentarily forget what she wanted to do with him, instead enticed by the handsome human she loved.

"I never want to see this wonderful face become ruined by tears again." She tenderly whispered out as she cupped his face, the image of him crying once again was almost heartbreaking to think about.

"I never imagined an angel such as you were real. Now I see how wrong I was." He replied back, cupping her lovely long neck with his talented hands.

They were here for each other, and that's just what she wanted of him. She wanted the two to make sweet love tonight, she desired him just as much as he did towards her. So with the final sentence uttered by the female she asked the simple yet permanent question to him:

"Ready, Travis." He was ready for this for a long time, only now having the chance to finally join with the female and have two become one on this cold yet bright night. With a feminine hand reaching down to hold his side she began to adjust herself, making sure her weight was on her shapely legs as she hovered her ready feminine organ over the masculine one below her. She brought her hips down, slowly and tentatively, holding back a grunt as his shaft pushed her inner walls apart, the feeling of a male inside her had been lacking for her form a long time as her inside adjusted to his length. The male only lightly moaned, the pleasurable feeling of a womanhood embracing his member was always a natural thrill to him, letting her have control, as he agreed from earlier, and focused his entire attention on the woman above him.

She started to rock her hips, for the beginning, each back and forth of her body was completely attentive to how the human was, as she made sure he didn't feel any pain and discomfort due to her size or other reasons. But thankfully, far from it was the truth, as he gingerly to moaned under his breath. To her, it was a compliment she was doing well, and she picked up her pace forthwith knowing he fully was receiving great pleasure from her body.

His hands were still on her, they had never left her form, as the soft fur was to enticing for the male's sense of touch as he brushed along her grain, feeling along her sides and back, up and down as his caresses touched back up to her ears, careful like they were fine glass in his fingers, and with a thumb wiped away a random hair from her face, almost a copy of what she did before, not wanting her golden iris to be obscured, even by her pretty blonde hair.

As she rode him she could still feel every touch of him on her fur, each caress that glided over her spurred her forward with the thought that he was loving every each body. Including the part she was sure of before that the human preferred over her shapely buttocks. Her brassiere was transparent to some degree, giving the human a full view of both her mammaries, and her perky red nipples underneath. It wasn't lost on her that the human a few times seemed almost hypnotized by her bouncing boobs, even with them being considered average at best, and strapped by a bra set they still moved with her rocks, almost pulsing out to be held by the human. She knows by now he respected her body, careful of her intimate parts to not offend her by pushing a limit, but the female held no limits for him, and if he secretly wanted to feel her breasts, why would she hold him back?

She grabbed at his right hand calmly, giving the caressing fingertips each a small kiss before she guided them to her personal bosom, letting his fingers touch over her breasts before she pulled the brassiere down, freeing both of her cups as she let him gently take a hold of a cup. She is dainty enough for his whole hand to cover her breast, the human breathing deeply as he held onto her cup. His fingers brushed around the sides of her bust, feeling along the edges as his palm swept against her nipples, the warm sensation of his hand over her teat chilled her as she had to restrain herself from freezing in place should she stop her rocking. She let go, the human working on his own as his other hand still kept holding her side as he kept exploring her body.

She was enamored by his scent, the sweat was intoxicating in her nostrils as she had to steady herself while she looked down to him. The taste of his lips on hers still lingered in the back of her mind, a desire to taste him more. His own focus was still on her body, not noticing the way she stared down hungrily to his face. With a hand she cupped the side of his head, holding him in place as she leaned downward to meet his lips once again-

"Oh!" She reeled back, holding her other palm to her lips when she realized what her mouth had been doing moments prior, quickly stopping herself short as if an offence was about to be committed. "I'm sorry, Travis...I, well I almost forgot...with my mouth I..." She stammered out, unsure of what the male would think of her as she was about to kiss with used lips. Yet before she could stutter more, he chuckled audibly as the female looked at him with visible confusion. "I know- but I'm not prudent enough to be disgusted by something as silly as that. I actually wanted to kiss you again, I just couldn't find the right moment." He chuckled heartily.

Her figure softened as she laughed at her expense, snickering along with him as she locked eyes with him; and for just a moment the two were lost as they sat still like that, the world around them non-existent as they cared only for one another. They both came together in a hug, grasping their arms around their partners as they cuddled warmly, smashing their lips on one another once again, not heavily, but soft lips touching lips as they shared short, lingering kisses. The feeling of her soft fur against her skin was divine for Travis, and Gazelle took delight at stroking his hair, nuzzling him softly as she told him how much she loves him, an action mirrored right after by the human as they could talk for days over who lived each other the most.

But they didn't have all night, and the female still wanted him to claim her, even now, and as she still hugged the human she twisted around her legs to clasp around her back, keeping him in place as she slowly rocked forward, neither speaking out as their intimate moments returned in full force.

He continued to stroke her back, the simple touch of her incredible fur was too amazing to not handle, added on was the fur that now stroked on his torso, along with her bare nipples grazing his chest, the male felt in heaven from the contact alone. But the female he touched could feel something was up: his hands never strayed below the hips.

"Travis, I WANT you to touch me." She whispered into his ear as her chin rested over his shoulder. "Touch me wherever you like, especially if down below. I am yours to have." His hands froze in place for just a moment, before slowly making their way down her back and to her lower half as his caresses drafted there.

He felt along her thighs, along the sides of her long legs, the fur there just as lovely as the rest of her as they guided themselves back up, against her fur as his hands found her tail, of which he was sensitive to hold in his hands, purely brushing the delicate protrusion with his fingertips as it flinched just by being near his hands. Then they roamed down; and his hands cupped her magnificent booty.

She flinched the moment his hands grasped her bottom, moaning without a care for being quiet as she hugged him even more fiercely. He saw this as a spur to touch her there more, but still only touched her gently but lovingly, his fingers taking firm gropes to her buttocks as each press into her butt sent shocks through her body, her rear loving the attention as the female began to pant from the handling of her booty.

She was lost in the moment, still rocking herself on him as she breathed in deeply, her nostrils being filled with his scent as she wanted him more; and with her position her body moved on it's own. Her tongue came out her mouth as the wet appendage brushed along his neck and shoulders, the female tasting the human reverently as the salty taste kept her going.

The antelope had been secretly wanting to lick the human's skin for some time now; from sheer curiosity to actual lust seeing him be sweaty had evoked a desire in her that only now she could relish in, being obviously turned on by his smooth skin as she made a whispered remark of him "Tasting good." With a mischievous grin.

He did not stop his reverent caresses on her booty, intoxicated by that sexy buttocks of hers to not stop at all...even as he felt the pressure building up inside him wanting a release as her inner walls that massaged his member begged for a release that was quickly coming.

"Zelle, I...I'm about to cum! Do you want me to pull out, or..." He panted out deeply as the female heard every word, but she neither stopped or slowed, as she wanted him. "Then cum inside me Travis, I need you to. Just let it go calmly, I'm here for you." He understood her command as relaxed his body under her grasp, still keeping a hold of her bottom as her soft fur acted like a pillow for him, feeling the release coming closer and closer as braced himself.

Within just a few moments, he came inside, his seed shooting into her as he tensed up from his orgasm, his body going rigid as he kept himself steady, his breathing cut short as he let out a low cry, not a grouse but a sound of intense pleasure as his whole body curled to her. His fingers were still handling her rear, and as his climax hit his fingers dug deep into her posterior. Not in a painful kind, but enough to drive her over the top as her own orgasm hit too, as the sensation of his skillful hands groping her cheeks was too much for the mammal, added with his semen pumping inside her, her own climax hit, and a deep howl to the open moon followed, the idea that it was the first orgasm she had for years was shown on her breaking face as she hugged her partner dearly, demanding he not go as they curled around the two, left a sweat, broken mess a moment after.

Yet despite their exhaustion, they intense heat they shared despite their nudity, they refused to let go, clinging onto each other for dear life as they wanted to never separate from cuddling. Once the mind was no longer to lust, the human and gazelle being brought back to their senses the first act they did was share a deep long kiss, overwhelmed and overjoyed they sat there minutes on end, caring not for the outside world, nor the overbearing heat, or for the dropping of the white stuff on the bed as it ran down their legs. To them, each other was their world, their dearest one as they shared words of a loving nature, speaking of each other as the most important one in their lives, how much they loved each other's body-how they were the sexiest one they've seen naked, and pillow talk of oh much they enjoyed that.

They didn't know when sleep finally caught up to them, but it must have happened when their arms were still locked in each others embrace, resting their heads on each others shoulders as this was not the end, but the beginning of a life they will strive to make better, whatever hardships may be thrown their way, together, they are an unstoppable force, and nothing can bring them down.

May blessings be upon those two on this late night in Zootopia, for they cannot live forever, as mortality is the biggest truth in this world.

The end of our race is not a question of if, but when. The real question is: What do we leave behind for those who come after us? Do we leave a legacy of violence, bloodshed and hate? Or do we leave our best hopes and dreams as a guiding light, and warning to them? Maybe all we can do is show who we were, good and bad, and entreat those who follow, not to repeat our mistakes . . .

**Longest one yet. Hope not to take as long next time.**

**Hope You Enjoyed!**


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